Nepal Disabled Women’s Association in partnership with UNDP reviewed and revised the Safe Motherhood and  Reproductive Health Rights Act 2018. The Safe Motherhood and  Reproductive Health Rights Act reviews the issue of accessible services from the perspective of women with disabilities.

Disability rights activist and researcher Manish Prasai made a presentation on the revision of the Act from the perspective of women with disabilities.

He discussed maternal mortality rate in Nepal, sexual and reproductive health, Nepal’s situation in reproductive health, the reproductive situation of women with disabilities, the provisions made by Article 38 of the Constitution of Nepal, right to reproductive and safe motherhood, and  the provisions of the right to health cover the issues of women with disabilities. In addition, he gave detailed information about the fact that person with disabilities and women are deprived of the right to sexual and reproductive health due to the lack of access to infrastructure, service facilities, information and communication.

In the program, it is seen that more than 50 percent of  girls with disabilities are still out of reach of contraceptives according to their needs. In addition, it was said that the parents of the  women with disabilities used family planning tools without their consent.

The participants of the program said that according to global standards, all institutions including health should be made accessible, obstacles faced by women with disabilities should be removed, health workers and concerned agencies should be made disability sensitive.

In the discussion, Nira Adhikari, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, suggested that it would be easier for women with disabilities if six months of maternity leave could be arranged according to the variety of disabilities.

Chair Person of NDWA, Tika Dahal, said that it should be discussed the issue of disability with priority by all agencies and individuals.

20 participants related to advocates, health and reproductive health participated in the review program on Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act 2018.