Situation of women and girls with disabilities in Belarus

Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

According to the latest statistics, over 550,000 people in Belarus, or about 6.12% of the population, are officially registered as persons with disabilities. There is no data on women with disabilities, but given that women make up about 53% of the population of Belarus, it can be assumed that there are about 300,000 women with disabilities in the country. Information on the situation of persons with disabilities is becoming increasingly scarce as a result of the Belarusian regime’s deliberate efforts to create a complete information blockade. This applies to general information on the demographics and situation of persons with disabilities in the country, legislation and policies, monitoring reports, and other information. As of December 2024, some public websites were inaccessible, while others contained only vague, generalized information, or information marked “confidential”. The government’s repressive policies have transformed disability organizations into government-affiliated nongovernmental organizations (GONGOs) that serve the regime’s interests both domestically and internationally. Genuine activists and organizations advocating for disability rights, including the rights of women with disabilities, have been forced into exile or are in prison, greatly limiting their ability to promote and protect disability rights.

The report addresses information of the following issues: policy, women with disabilities in prison settings, domestic violence, reproductive health and the problem of child removal, participation in public life, independent living, legal capacity, mothers of children with disabilities, women with disabilities in forced migration. The report includes 11 recommendations to the government.

Written input to the CEDAW Committee. December 2024

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