Gender and disability: The challenges faced by Indian women

Abstract

This study emphasizes the challenging conditions faced by women with disabilities, particularly their struggle for inclusion and equality in a society fraught with difficulties for people with impairments. Although both men and women with disabilities experience discrimination, women are disproportionately disadvantaged due to the intersection of gender oppression and physical limitations, often referred to as "double discrimination." This vulnerable population faces violence, abuse, unemployment, social isolation, and prejudice. Through a comprehensive analysis of secondary data sources, the study explores the compounded difficulties encountered by women with disabilities in India. It investigates the specific problems these women face and highlights how cultural and societal norms further exacerbate these challenges, leaving disabled women with limited access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. By drawing attention to these obstacles, the paper details the violence, abuse, joblessness, prejudice, and isolation that women with disabilities face due to their intersecting identities of gender and disability.