On March 8 each year DAI joins the world in celebrating and recognising women. The theme in 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge. A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day.
We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.
From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge.
In reality, all women and men make a difference, but historically, and even today, women often do not receive public recognition or praise for their work.
DAI represents the more than 50 million people currently living with dementia, and I am one of them, and those with a new diagnosis of dementia every 3 seconds, and whilst dementia is a chronic, progressive terminal condition, it is listed by the WHO as the fifth highest cause of death for women worldwide and is a major cause of death and disability in older persons.
Women make up 2/3 of dementia care supporters and more than 70% in lower and middle-income countries. Unpaid women carers compared to male carers, are also more often unemployed due to their unpaid role; girls who are carers also miss out on education.
Everyone impacted by dementia receives little if any health care, including a lack of access to a diagnosis, nor appropriate support to live with dementia once diagnosed.
Older women, especially widows, can be exposed to what has been termed a ‘triple jeopardy’ discriminated against as a result of their age, sex and condition (carer or diagnosed with dementia).
The stigma surrounding dementia exists universally, with women more likely to be stigmatised in this way. Extreme forms of discrimination can lead to women with the condition facing abuse, violence and even death.
Governments, international civil society and partners around the world must get behind this global challenge and unite for a world where no woman is left behind because of her dementia, and you can join with us on March 8, 2021 by donating to support our work.
Gendered barriers to mobility and accessing justice lead to isolation and exclusion.
Understanding intersecting forms of gender- and disability-based violence, exploitation and abuse against women with disabilities including forced medical and psychiatric interventions.
Women with disabilities experience this type of abuse at disproportionately higher rates than others, and in unique forms owing to ingrained discrimination and stigmatization.
It is estimated that women with disabilities are 1.5 to 10 times more likely to be physically or sexually abused by a family member or caregiver than other women.
Women with disabilities are often excluded from national laws and policies and remain marginal to global discussions and agreements relevant to their empowerment. The global women’s agenda seldom takes into consideration the issues and concerns of women with disabilities.
In addition, women with disabilities are also neglected within the disability movement and the mainstream women’s movement. Stand-alone policies on women with disabilities remain limited; they are often excluded in policymaking and decision-making processes.
More often, women and girls also are the main informal family care partners for people livign with dementia, so not only do more women get diagnosed with any types of dementia they do the lions share of the informal care.
#ChooseToChallenge
About International Women's Day
"International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality.
Marked annually on March 8th, International Women's Day (IWD) is one of the most important days of the year to:
- celebrate women's achievements
- raise awareness about women's equality
- lobby for accelerated gender parity
- fundraise for female-focused charities"