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Association d’Aide à l’Education de l’Enfant Handicapé (AAEEH), France
Title:Reproductive health and disability : Working towards a more inclusive and supportive environment for adolescents with disabilities
An estimated 15% of the world’s population live with a disability. In some settings and cultures, menstruation remains a taboo subject. Girls and women with disabilities face double stigma due to social norms related to gender and menstruation, as well as their disability. This double stigma can lead to social isolation and even forced sterilization. Yet access to reproductive health, without discrimination, is a fundamental right for all women and girls. Mainstreaming disability into menstrual hygiene involves making adjustments in the design and implementation of programs and policies to address specific vulnerabilities related to disability.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), global and national health and development policies must prioritize menstrual health, with investments reflecting its important role in human rights, public health, gender equality and sustainable development.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that in Africa, for example, 66% of girls do not have good information about menstruation before they are confronted with their first period. However, access to reproductive health is a fundamental right for all women and girls. Periods have become a public health issue, on which it is important to discuss openly.
This contribution aims to present and discuss preliminary findings of an ongoing project « dignity kits for girls with disabilities » implemented by the Association d’Aide à l’Education de l’Enfant Handicapé (AAEEH) and to provide the next steps or way forward.
Dr Ernestine NGO MELHA is an education and disability specialist. Senior lecturer in educational sciences, author of numerous publications and associate reseacher with the national insitute for special educational needs and disability (INSEI) in France. She is the founder, CEO and main representative to the UN of Association d’Aide à l’Education de l’Enfant Handicapé (AAEEH), an NGO founded in 1998 committed to education, disability and cross cutting issues as well as equity an social justice. Selflessly, with more than 25 years of experience, Ernestine actively and significantly contributes to the advancement of disability mainstreaming in various fields.