DONATE

Rising Voices: Mainstreaming women with disabilities in India-EU international cooperation

This paper is informed by the findings of Building Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals – Empowering Disabled People’s Organisations, a European Union-funded project jointly undertaken by Sightsavers India and the European Disability Forum (EDF).

The project supports people with disabilities to engage in, shape and monitor the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The paper aims to bring the voices of women with disabilities to the fore. It details how supporting women with disabilities to know their rights has helped them to stand up for themselves, gain independence and support others. It highlights the specific struggles and challenges they face, and celebrates their strength, abilities, resilience and victories. By sharing the stories of women with disabilities, it intends to convey the transformational impact that engagement in the SDGs processes can have on these women’s lives. It clearly highlights the untapped potential of women with disabilities and their critical role in the implementation of the SDGs, the CRPD and in EU international cooperation.

For more information, please visit the Sightsavers India research centre.

Publication date: October 2020

Want to learn more about our work?

Sightsavers and disability rights

More on disability

Minahil, who wears spectacles, smiles broadly as she sits at her classroom desk.

Sightsavers at the CIES education conference 2025

We're attending the conference in Chicago on 22-26 March to share Sightsavers’ expertise, engage with the education community and explore how we can help to transform inclusive education.

March 2025
Michelle adds eyelash extensions to a woman's eyes.
Sightsavers blog

Women with disabilities must be involved in planning economic empowerment programmes

Sightsavers’ Sarah Wang’ombe shares what we’ve learned from our consultations with women with disabilities about running effective programmes.

Sarah Wang’ombe, March 2025
Caliha stands outside, with a tree behind her.
Sightsavers stories
Stories / Disability and inclusion /

“Usually, men tell their wives not to go to hospital”

Cataracts stopped Caliha from working as a farmer, and without her family’s support, she struggled to access treatment. Caliha was able to have an operation and is now earning a living again.