The President of the European Blind Union (EBU), Lord Colin Low, congratulates all blind and partially sighted women of Europe on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. He is confident that EBU is on the move towards gender equality but he acknowledges that a vision for an equal future requires higher member participation.
The UN recognizes that while people with disabilities are at an overall disadvantage within society, females face even more barriers. “Girls and women of all ages with any form of disability are among the most vulnerable and marginalized members of society,” wrote Leandro Despouy, the Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities back in 1988. “There is therefore a need to take into account and address their concerns in all policy-making and programming.”
Aligning itself with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the EBU is committed to a balanced representation in decision making bodies and to equal opportunities for men and women, confirmation of which can be found in the progression of women within its ranks. The first woman Secretary General was elected last year at the 8th General Assembly. An Equality and Diversity Forum took place immediately before that Assembly. The EBU has also set up a Women’s Steering group, whose primary concern is to ensure that gender issues are at the forefront of its work.
However Lord Low recognises that while EBU is dedicated to gender equality, it relies heavily on its national members to recruit and empower blind and partially sighted women to take the place they deserve at all levels of organisational life.
“Our next step is now to reactivate EBU’s Women’s Network” adds Lord Low. “We are encouraging our member organisations to involve more women at national and European level. The new Coordinator of the EBU steering group on women is Luisa Bartolucci, a young blind journalist from Italy. She is to steer and be the engine behind equality efforts in EBU, and she will need the support and commitment of as many women and men as possible in our organisations.