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Triple jeopardy: Tackling the discrimination facing girls and women with leprosy.

Abstract

This new report has been commissioned by ILEP to mark International Women’s Day on 8 March 2015. It also has important findings for the Annual UN Conference on the Status of Women on 9 – 20 March 2015 and the review of implementation of progress of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on Women due in 2015.

The report focuses on the triple jeopardy facing women and girls with leprosy.  This leads to a downward spiral where they are discriminated against on grounds of gender, disability and leprosy stigma, leading to late detection of leprosy, leading to disability, leading to more discrimination and reduced job and marriage prospects, leading to poverty and exclusion and potential abuse.

The key issues that adversely affect women and girls affected by leprosy include the need to ensure early detection and effective diagnosis leading to a prevention of life-long disability, and addressing the trenchant and damaging stigma of leprosy through purposeful public education programmes.  To address these inequalities, and to empower highly disadvantaged women and girls with leprosy, the report makes a number of important recommendations.

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Type
Report