Historical introduction to engendered disability. An international point of view

This chapter offers a short introduction to the worldwide legislative panorama related to the disability and women with disability and in particular: the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities emitted by the United Nations in 2006 and the previous process resulting in this convention, to focus on disability and the EU legislation and reports. The Convention represented and indeed continues to represent a major cornerstone in history, not only for persons with disabilities, but it also led to the new affirmation of the rights of everyone and to the celebration of human diversity and human dignity. It constituted the most important achievement after decades of fight for the fundamental freedom and full participation of persons with disability. This arose a higher awareness in the European context and therefore this chapter will also introduce the theme in the European environment, presenting a discussion of the general approach to disability and by inserting it into a general framework of analysis of the EU vision towards inclusion and equality, which has changed remarkably over the last few decades, ultimately also incorporating disability and minorities claims.