拉美经济委员会-残疾人及其在COVID-19大流行中的权利：一个都不能少（英文）-2021.1-34页_1mb

Summary: Persons with Disabilities and Their Rights in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Core Content

The document highlights the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on persons with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasizing the need for inclusive public policies and the reinforcement of international instruments that protect their rights. It underscores the importance of a rights-based approach in addressing the crisis, ensuring that persons with disabilities are not left behind in both immediate and long-term strategies.

Main Points

• Persons with disabilities are among the most vulnerable groups during the pandemic, facing higher risks of infection, severe symptoms, and mortality due to pre-existing health conditions and barriers to access.
• They are also more likely to be excluded from social, economic, and educational opportunities, which were already limited before the pandemic.
• The lack of disaggregated data on disability is a significant challenge, hindering the ability to analyze the pandemic's impact and design effective policies.
• International instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development provide a framework for ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities in public policies.
• Article 11 of the CRPD requires states to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in emergencies, including the pandemic.
• Article 25 of the CRPD emphasizes the right to health and the need to prevent discriminatory denial of health services.
• Article 31 calls for the collection of appropriate statistical data on persons with disabilities, which is crucial for informed decision-making.

Key Information

• Approximately 70 million persons with disabilities live in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Persons with disabilities are more likely to be in poverty, have lower educational attainment, and be excluded from the labor market.
• There is a gender disparity, with women being more represented among persons with disabilities than men, especially in older age groups.
• The age structure of persons with disabilities is older compared to the general population, which increases the risk of severe illness and mortality from the virus.
• Disability prevalence varies by country:
  • Peru: 10.4% of the population has a disability.
  • Guatemala: 2.8%.
  • Colombia: 4.1%.
• Urban areas in Peru and Guatemala have higher proportions of persons with disabilities than rural areas, while the opposite is true in Colombia.
• Visual impairment is the most common type of disability across all three countries, followed by mobility and hearing limitations.
• The methodology of disability measurement in censuses varies across countries, affecting data comparability and accuracy.

Recommendations

• Improve data collection on disability, including infection and death rates, to support evidence-based policy-making.
• Ensure that public policies are inclusive and specifically tailored to the needs of persons with disabilities.
• Promote the participation of persons with disabilities in all stages of policy design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Strengthen access to health services, employment, and education for persons with disabilities.
• Adopt a social model of disability in data collection and policy formulation, moving away from a medical model.
• Enhance awareness and combat discrimination against persons with disabilities, especially in health and social services.

Conclusion

The pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities and challenges faced by persons with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean. A comprehensive and inclusive response is essential to ensure their rights are protected and their needs are met. This includes improving data collection, enhancing access to services, and promoting their participation in decision-making processes. Only through these measures can the region achieve the goal of "leaving no one behind" in the recovery and future development efforts.