By Carola Rico
In 2020, the Senate decreed September 12 to be the National Day of Women with Disabilities to show that women with some conditions experience double discrimination, both of gender and disability, which causes a lag in their development in social groups. This decree seeks to find proposals to improve their quality of life.
Women from Guanajuato with disabilities expressed themselves on this day by promoting issues in the public sphere, such as removing environmental and attitudinal barriers, universal design, and guarantees of equality in all the various spheres of society.
In a virtual chat through the INGUDIS social networks, Laura Rodríguez, a wheelchair user; Claudia Mojica, a short person; Rebeca Cruz Alfaro, with a hearing disability; and Paulina Ibarra, with a motor disability, were present.
Claudia Mojica stressed the challenges associated with providing accessible spaces where things are within reach for the disabled and the need to break down attitudinal barriers in much of society.
Laura Rodríguez pointed out that women with disabilities can be an active part of social development in the workplace, “but sometimes society itself puts obstacles in your way since they turn to look at you with pity, but they should not fear to give us the opportunity to show our capabilities,” she said.
Rebeca Cruz Alfaro, the coordinator of the Social Inclusion Program at the University of Guanajuato, called on women with disabilities to express themselves based on their needs to improve their quality of life and exercise their right to equality. Such action will allow women access to inclusive education, decent health care, development of their skills, and decent employment. She urged them to approach public institutions.
Finally, the Institute for Guanajuatensian Women (IMUG) director, Anabel Pulido López, pointed out that the sum of efforts to guarantee comprehensive care is to reduce inequality gaps so that they have full development in society based on their capabilities.
