Accessibility is a precondition for women and men with disabilities to live independently and participate fully and equally in society. Without access to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communication – including information and communication technologies and systems – and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, people with disabilities would not have equal opportunities for participation in society.
Nationally, the majority of people with disabilities live in private dwellings (94%). The
remainder of people with disabilities (6%) live in non-private dwellings, with nearly two-thirds of these (4%) living in cared accommodation. However, there is no publically available data that helps us understand the situation of women and men with disabilities in the ACT.
Strategies to create housing opportunities for women and men with disabilities in the ACT must be effective both at the community level and also at an individual level. At international law, this is the difference between the principle of accessibility and the principle of reasonable accommodation (respectively). Care must be taken not to confuse or conflate these two principles.
It is very important that the specific needs of women with disabilities (i) for safety and
protection against violence; (ii) for recognition of their family responsibilities as parents and carers; and (iii) as they age to be expressly embedded in each and every housing option under consideration.
You can read our full submission below.