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DOUBLE DIFFICULTIES: DISABLED WOMEN IN ARMENIA FACE ADDITIONAL TRIALS IN AN UNACCOMMODATING SOCIETY
http://armenianow.com/society/44585/disabled_women_armenia_bridge_hope
SOCIETY | 20.03.13 | 15:12
Photolure
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
The whistle of the boiling kettle calls Seda to the kitchen. With one
hand she puts the tea leaves, pours the hot water with the other and
the glassy cups get painted in brown.
"My parents died a few years ago. I wish I had a family of my own,
children," says 65-year-old Seda (her name has been changed at her
request). "I grew up with complexes, and my parents had their share of
fault in it. Rather than encouraging me, they kept breaking me all my
life - I am limping, I am ugly, not worthy of anything, an eight-year
school education would do for me, who'd marry me?" recalls the woman
with bitterness.
Seda works as a cleaning lady at a Yerevan store, with a monthly salary
of 40,000 drams ($100). She says that women with disabilities are more
vulnerable than physically challenged men in society, continuously
facing physical, social and psychological issues.
"I feel like a second-rate person, never needed by anyone, never had
happiness as a woman; even when hiring me they look at my limping
leg and think I cannot be of any use," she says.
Seda is one of the 87,420 disabled women in Armenia, who make 47
percent of the people with disabilities here (the total number is
186,384).
Zaruhi Batoyan, advocating the rights of the disabled at the Bridge
of Hope NGO, says in a society the image of a woman commonly does
not match the image of a woman with disability.
"From that dogmatic perspective a physically challenged girl or
a woman is not attractive, not sexy, cannot get married, be a good
wife and a mother, and this aggravates her family's attitude to her,"
says Batoyan.
Christine Aghayan, psychologist at Gyumri's Agat center for women with
special needs, says the misconception that disability is a disease
is firmly rooted in people's minds.
"We held surveys in the streets of Gyumri on whether a girl with
disability can get married or not. Some said yes, others said they
didn't know, others said 'of course not, she'd only harm herself'. It
is very difficult to break the dogmatic mentality, but it is an
undeniable fact that everybody has the right to personal happiness,
maternity and family. But in any case, a disabled woman experiences
an inner conflict on how the society would take her possible decision
to become a mother," she says.
Batoyan believes that the issue has to be solved in those state and
social projects, which do not reflect the needs of these women. None
of the numerous documents on women's rights has any reference to
women with disabilities and their issues.
Armenia joined the international convention on the rights of the
disabled in 2006, in which special attention is paid to women with
disabilities. People in charge of this sphere claim that they are
implementing a disability policy based on the social model, which
implies protection of the rights of people with disabilities and
creation of equal conditions for them.
The law on social protection of the disabled was first adopted in 1993
in Armenia. Since 2009 a new model draft law is being developed. Anna
Hakobyan, senior specialist at the department of disability and
elderly people's issues at the labor and social affairs ministry,
says the new draft law regards disability as a combination of the
person and the environment, and not as a disease, like it used to.
The NGOs advocating the rights of people with disabilities point
out the lack of facilities in the environment to make it accessible
also for people with special needs, and in case with women it causes
significant difficulties.
"Even with sanitary facilities (toilets), if there are disabled men
and women in the area with no disability access, it's harder for
women than men to take care of their needs, just because of their
physiological differences. Healthcare services, doctors' clinics are
not accessible for women with special needs," explains Batoyan.
According to her, inclusive policy is a process of development,
ensuring accessibility of services and projects for people with most
diverse needs, and as a result it's a win-win situation for all,
because they manage to be members of one common society. The NGOs
involved in this field will try to make suggestions that a provision
be included specifically about women with disabilities in the new bill.
Psychologist Christine Aghayan says the country keeps joining various
conventions, adopts laws, but reality has a different face.
"Women with disabilities continue running into obstacles, both physical
and social. Their rights are not fully protected in Armenia.
As for the issues of maternity and reproductive health, those are
rarely voiced even at the state level," she says.
Hakobyan says while working on the draft law she has met people from
various ministries and explained what kind of changes are needed:
"Unfortunately we have failed at some things, some provisions are
missing despite our efforts, but nothing's lost yet, we have adopted
this path and will be able to change many things. The role of each of
us will be big; when the society learns to change their view of people
with disabilities, we will be able to bring about deeper changes in
the policies."
http://armenianow.com/society/44585/disabled_women_armenia_bridge_hope
SOCIETY | 20.03.13 | 15:12
Photolure
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
The whistle of the boiling kettle calls Seda to the kitchen. With one
hand she puts the tea leaves, pours the hot water with the other and
the glassy cups get painted in brown.
"My parents died a few years ago. I wish I had a family of my own,
children," says 65-year-old Seda (her name has been changed at her
request). "I grew up with complexes, and my parents had their share of
fault in it. Rather than encouraging me, they kept breaking me all my
life - I am limping, I am ugly, not worthy of anything, an eight-year
school education would do for me, who'd marry me?" recalls the woman
with bitterness.
Seda works as a cleaning lady at a Yerevan store, with a monthly salary
of 40,000 drams ($100). She says that women with disabilities are more
vulnerable than physically challenged men in society, continuously
facing physical, social and psychological issues.
"I feel like a second-rate person, never needed by anyone, never had
happiness as a woman; even when hiring me they look at my limping
leg and think I cannot be of any use," she says.
Seda is one of the 87,420 disabled women in Armenia, who make 47
percent of the people with disabilities here (the total number is
186,384).
Zaruhi Batoyan, advocating the rights of the disabled at the Bridge
of Hope NGO, says in a society the image of a woman commonly does
not match the image of a woman with disability.
"From that dogmatic perspective a physically challenged girl or
a woman is not attractive, not sexy, cannot get married, be a good
wife and a mother, and this aggravates her family's attitude to her,"
says Batoyan.
Christine Aghayan, psychologist at Gyumri's Agat center for women with
special needs, says the misconception that disability is a disease
is firmly rooted in people's minds.
"We held surveys in the streets of Gyumri on whether a girl with
disability can get married or not. Some said yes, others said they
didn't know, others said 'of course not, she'd only harm herself'. It
is very difficult to break the dogmatic mentality, but it is an
undeniable fact that everybody has the right to personal happiness,
maternity and family. But in any case, a disabled woman experiences
an inner conflict on how the society would take her possible decision
to become a mother," she says.
Batoyan believes that the issue has to be solved in those state and
social projects, which do not reflect the needs of these women. None
of the numerous documents on women's rights has any reference to
women with disabilities and their issues.
Armenia joined the international convention on the rights of the
disabled in 2006, in which special attention is paid to women with
disabilities. People in charge of this sphere claim that they are
implementing a disability policy based on the social model, which
implies protection of the rights of people with disabilities and
creation of equal conditions for them.
The law on social protection of the disabled was first adopted in 1993
in Armenia. Since 2009 a new model draft law is being developed. Anna
Hakobyan, senior specialist at the department of disability and
elderly people's issues at the labor and social affairs ministry,
says the new draft law regards disability as a combination of the
person and the environment, and not as a disease, like it used to.
The NGOs advocating the rights of people with disabilities point
out the lack of facilities in the environment to make it accessible
also for people with special needs, and in case with women it causes
significant difficulties.
"Even with sanitary facilities (toilets), if there are disabled men
and women in the area with no disability access, it's harder for
women than men to take care of their needs, just because of their
physiological differences. Healthcare services, doctors' clinics are
not accessible for women with special needs," explains Batoyan.
According to her, inclusive policy is a process of development,
ensuring accessibility of services and projects for people with most
diverse needs, and as a result it's a win-win situation for all,
because they manage to be members of one common society. The NGOs
involved in this field will try to make suggestions that a provision
be included specifically about women with disabilities in the new bill.
Psychologist Christine Aghayan says the country keeps joining various
conventions, adopts laws, but reality has a different face.
"Women with disabilities continue running into obstacles, both physical
and social. Their rights are not fully protected in Armenia.
As for the issues of maternity and reproductive health, those are
rarely voiced even at the state level," she says.
Hakobyan says while working on the draft law she has met people from
various ministries and explained what kind of changes are needed:
"Unfortunately we have failed at some things, some provisions are
missing despite our efforts, but nothing's lost yet, we have adopted
this path and will be able to change many things. The role of each of
us will be big; when the society learns to change their view of people
with disabilities, we will be able to bring about deeper changes in
the policies."