Let Me Decide and Thrive: Global Discrimination and Exclusion of Girls and Young Women with Disabilities

Girls with disabilities are kept in the dark about their sexual and reproductive health and often don’t know how to protect themselves against abuse, pregnancy and disease. This report highlights the perfect storm of discrimination faced by girls with disabilities, which leaves many of them totally unaware of their rights.

While the discriminatory hurdles posed by gender, youth or disability alone can be great, this report reveals that when all three come together they intensify the negative effects of exclusion. As a consequence, girls and young women with disabilities face significant obstacles to the full realisation of their rights, including their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

The report calls for all children with disabilities to be provided comprehensive sexuality education so they can make conscious choices about relationships and sexuality. It also calls for governments to eliminate the stigma and discrimination that prevent girls from accessing the services and information they need about sexual and reproductive health.