The Nation Forum of Women with Disabilities (NFWD), Sri Lanka, proudly participated in the Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). This marks a historic milestone, as it is the first time NFWD has participated in a United Nations event.
During the meeting, Ms. Rasanjali Pathirage, Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of NFWD, delivered a 2-minute statement on behalf of women with disabilities in Sri Lanka and across the Asia-Pacific region.
The statement highlighted the multiple and intersectional barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities in accessing justice, including:
Physical and communication barriers within police stations, courts, and legal aid services
Lack of accessible information in sign language, Braille, and easy-to-read formats
Discriminatory attitudes that undermine credibility and deny fair treatment
Economic barriers and lack of legal support that make justice inaccessible in practice
NFWD emphasized three key priority actions:
Ensuring justice systems are fully accessible — physically, procedurally, and communicationally
Providing mandatory training for legal professionals on disability rights and intersectionality, grounded in CRPD and CEDAW
Guaranteeing the meaningful participation of women with disabilities and their representative organizations in justice reforms, policy development, and monitoring processes
Access to justice is not a privilege; it is a fundamental human right.
This right can only be fully realized when women and girls with disabilities are placed at the centre of justice systems and reforms.
#CSW70#NFWD#WomenWithDisabilities
#AccessToJustice#DisabilityRights#CRPD#CEDAW
#NothingAboutUsWithoutUs#InclusiveJustice#AsiaPacificAsia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting
