Social image of disability. Vulnerability of the dignity of women with disability and social exclusion contexts

Abstract

Disability does not have nor had the same perception in all civilizations. Its treatment and considerations have been very complex and diverse within its regions and have generated multiple discriminatory behaviors. Today, we live in a new social paradigm developed with human rights in mind that people with disabilities enjoy. This new model, more human, has been adopted in most countries of the world. These rights are consistent with equality in opportunities thanks to the support in new policies and new action programs in favor of education, health, and work rights to help them enjoy their full potential. The rights for people with disabilities has been reinforced with the support and legislative recommendations made from the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom of 1953, from the Program of World Action for Disabilities (Decade of United Nations for People with Disabilities between 1983-1992), from the European Action Plan for People with Disabilities 2003 - 2010, Strategies about Disabilities 2010-2020 in the European Union. In Spain, with the law of April 7th of 1982: Law of Social Integration for the Handicapped (LISMI) and also, with the law of 51/2003, of December 2nd, of Equal Opportunities, no Discrimination and Universal Accessibility for People with Disabilities (LIONDAU). Society has come a long way which has allowed us to change from humiliating conceptualizations like: crazy, demential, disable, handicapped, deficient, etc., to the new concept of people with disabilities. Regardless of this improvements, reality shows the precariousness situation that this people live, especially, women and girls with disabilities. They have difficulties even to be able to read and write. They are excluded from the education system, work training and some basic health services that ignore them and deny their right to reproduce and deny their sexuality. Therefore, they suffer a greater social exclusion and are more vulnerable to violence situations for multiple discriminations: to be a woman and to have a disability. They face a social image that is invisible and anonymous in our society.