Disabled people are those who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, seeing, hearing, learning, working, or socializing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability, which represents 16% of the world’s population¹. However, despite the prevalence and diversity of disability, disabled people still face many disadvantages and barriers in society that affect their health, well-being, and human rights.

Health Inequities

One of the major disadvantages of disabled people is the health inequities they face. Health inequities are the unfair and avoidable differences in health outcomes and access to health care among different groups of people. Disabled people are more likely to die earlier, have poorer health, and experience more limitations in everyday functioning than others¹. Some of the factors contributing to health inequities are:

• Structural factors: Disabled people experience ableism, stigma and discrimination in all facets of life, which affects their physical and mental health. Laws and policies may deny them the right to make their own decisions and allow a range of harmful practices in the health sector, such as forced sterilization, involuntary admission and treatment, and even institutionalization¹.
• Social determinants of health: Poverty, exclusion from education and employment, and poor living conditions all add to the risk of poor health and unmet health care needs among disabled people. Gaps in formal social support mechanisms mean that disabled people are reliant on support from family members to engage in health and community activities, which not only disadvantages them but also their caregivers (who are mostly women and girls)¹.
• Risk factors: Disabled people are more likely to have risk factors for non-communicable diseases, such as smoking, poor diet, alcohol consumption and a lack of physical activity. A key reason for this is that they are often left out of public health interventions¹.
• Health system: Disabled people face barriers in all aspects of the health system. They may encounter inaccessible and unaffordable transportation, facilities, equipment, information, communication, and services. They may also face negative attitudes, stereotypes, and prejudices from health workers and other patients. They may also have difficulty finding qualified and trained professionals who can provide appropriate and quality care for their specific needs¹.

Human Rights Violations

Another disadvantage of disabled people is the human rights violations they suffer. Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world. They include civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. Disabled people have the same human rights as everyone else, but they often face discrimination and exclusion that prevent them from enjoying these rights fully. Some of the human rights violations that disabled people face are:

• Denial of legal capacity: Legal capacity is the ability to make decisions for oneself and to have those decisions respected by others. Many disabled people are denied legal capacity by laws or practices that allow others to make decisions for them without their consent or involvement. This can affect their right to autonomy, privacy, property, education, health care, work, marriage, family life, political participation, and access to justice¹.
• Violence and abuse: Disabled people are more vulnerable to violence and abuse than others. They may experience physical, sexual, psychological or emotional abuse from family members, caregivers, institutions or strangers. They may also face neglect or exploitation by those who are supposed to protect them. Violence and abuse can cause serious harm to their health, dignity, and well-being¹.
• Segregation and isolation: Disabled people are often segregated from society by being placed in institutions or isolated settings where they have little or no contact with others. This can deprive them of their right to community living,