New york: Women and girls with disabilities continue to face significant discrimination and barriers related to both their gender and disability, UN Women stated on Tuesday. Marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the organization emphasized that such discrimination hinders their access to essential services, economic opportunities, and leadership roles, as well as their participation in public life.

According to Anadolu Agency, the organization highlighted that advancing social progress necessitates societies that uphold the rights, dignity, and leadership of women and girls with disabilities. In a statement, UN Women underlined the vital contributions of these women and girls to care systems, economic life, community resilience, and peacebuilding. The organization noted that societies become stronger when environments are accessible, inclusive, and grounded in human rights.

The UN reported that one out of five women lives with a disability, which accounts for approximately 20% of all women, in contrast to 12% of men. This statistic underscores the prevalence of disabilities among women and the need for targeted efforts to address the unique challenges they face.