Report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

Report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) Submission for the review of the United States of America on Women, Girls, Non-binary People, and Gender Minorities with Disabilities from Marginalized Races

This shadow report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) examines the intersecting impacts of racial discrimination, gender bias, and disability on women, girls, non-binary people, and gender minorities from marginalized racial groups in the United States. Focusing on four critical domains—healthcare access, institutionalization, disaster response, and gender-based violence—the report documents how systemic barriers and stigma compound disadvantage, undermine autonomy, and put lives at risk. Key findings include pervasive denial of necessary medical and disability services, over-reliance on segregated institutions, inaccessible emergency protocols during natural disasters, and the heightened vulnerability of survivors of violence who face cultural and communication barriers. The report concludes with targeted recommendations for U.S. policymakers, including the enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, full funding of community-based supports, integration of disability-inclusive and anti-racism measures into emergency planning, and expansion of culturally competent violence prevention and survivor services.

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Human Rights Committee (HRC): Submission for Reporting of the United States of America on Women and Gender Diverse People with Disabilities

The U.S. Gender and Disability Justice Alliance,Women Enabled International (WEI), Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network,and the Autistic People of Color Fund, appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the Human Rights Committee’s consideration of the U.S.’s periodic report to the Committee. Women and girls with disabilities account for approximately 16% of all women in the U.S., and […]

A person with purple hair, wearing a T-shirt that reads “ had an abortion,” and holding a sign that says “ABORTION JUSTICE NOW. The Capital-building is in the background.

Storytelling Project on Medium

We’re excited to share our new storytelling project on Medium, highlighting the experiences of women and gender-diverse people with disabilities as they navigate sexual and reproductive healthcare and/or gender-affirming care. Through first-person narratives, this series amplifies voices that are too often unheard—revealing both the barriers faced and the resilience shown in pursuit of vital health […]

A picture of Judy speaking at a panel. She is wearing a pink top and is sitting in front of a microphone. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

The Impact of Judy Heumann’s Legacy Within the Disability Community

This article by Makahla Jackson and Dr. Ashley Volion honors the late disability-rights trailblazer Judy Heumann—often called the “Mother of the Disability Rights Movement”—and traces how her bold, partnership-driven leadership continues to inspire today’s advocates. It outlines Judy’s early fight for school access, her ethos of “Nothing About Us Without Us” forged at Camp Jened, […]

What Disabled Folks Need: Roe v Wade and Home and Community-Based Services

This article by Kayla Rodríguez and Oluwatobi Odugunwa explores two intertwined crises for disabled people in the United States: the erosion of reproductive rights following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the chronic underfunding of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). Drawing on their own experiences—Kayla’s heightened health risks from PCOS and Georgia’s near-total abortion […]