Promotion of Access to Promotion of Access to Reproductive Rights

for Women With Disabilities for Women With Disabilities in Thailandin Thailand

Sureeporn Yupa

National Project Coordinator

Promotion of Access to Reproductive Right for Women with Disabilities

Disabled Peoples’ International – Asia Pacific

• เหยื่��อกาม - นางปวี�ณา หงสกุ�ล เข้�าช่�วียเหล�อสาวีพิ�กุารห�หนวีกุและตาบอดวี�ย 18 ป ถู�กุคนร�ายบ�กุเข้�าไปข้�มข้�นในบ�านพิ�กุที่�'จ.สระบ�ร� จนต�)งที่�องได� 8 เด�อน ล�าส�ดต*ารวีจพิอร� �แล�วีวี�าเป+นฝี ม�อคนในย�านด�งกุล�าวี ตามข้�าวีsexual Violence Vitim Mrs.Paveena Hongsakul come to help WWDs who have multiples disabities 18 year old. She was raped and violence at her house now she still pregnant.

Why do we need to promote Reproductive Rights for WWDs in Thailand?

• No recognition of the reproductive rights of women– or even human rights of persons with disabilities, let alone the

intersection of both

• WWDs are always ignored in the agenda of mainstream women’s right movement

• Women with disabilities are repeatedly reported as victims of sexual abuse and violence

• Thai laws and policies related to women’s reproductive rights and service are silent– they are sometimes discriminatory against women with

disabilities in the way that support and services are almost completely nonexistence

ChallengesChallenges in Thailand• Lack of awarenessLack of awareness

– Reproductive right is hardly mentioned before, and still a puzzle

– Reproductive rights are deemed luxurious and redundant for PWDs as opposed to basic and human rights

– Reproductive rights are not awareness and acknowledged by PWDs and WWDs themselves

ChallengesChallenges in Thailand

• Social Norms and PrejudiceSocial Norms and Prejudice

– Sexuality is still taboo

– Person with disabilities are considered dissociated from sexual life and sexuality

– People tend to think that charity and donation are the only support to PWDs

– Empowerment of PWDs is beyond imagination

OpportunitiesOpportunities in Thailand• Advocacy for the health care policy and service change

hardly receives resistance – easily gain support if properly addressed

• Civil Society Organizations and government offices pay more attention to Reproductive Health issues – more space and forum organized – more investment and document produced and

distributed

• Media and public are more sensitive to disability issues– still interested in heroic-like and sensational stories

though

Objectives

• Raise awareness of WWDs, their families and society as a whole on reproductive rights of women with disabilities

• Promote an access to information, knowledge and service with regard to reproductive rights for women with disabilities

• Bring about attitude change and portray positive image of WWDs in society

Project ActivitiesProject Activities

1. Documenting discrimination, abuse and sexual violence against WWDs

Project ActivitiesProject Activities2. Organize seminar and workshop to educate WWDs

and their communities on reproductive rights

Project ActivitiesProject Activities 3. visit local government of Women with

Disabilities in communities to make actions plan in they communities

Project ActivitiesProject Activities

4. Photo Exhibitions

Poster of Photo Exhibitions

• 5. Campaining on the Reproductive Rights for WWDs by developing logo, producing learning materials and allocating souvenirs (i.e. pin, bags, t-shirt )

TV Program interviews

Thank you for your kind attention