Disability, gender-based violence and development in Africa

Patriarchy, power relations and hierarchical constructions of masculinity and femininity, endorsed by institutional and structural forces, are predominant and pervasive drivers of gender-based violence (GBV) (WHO, 2010). Often, African indigenous beliefs and varied norms have been used to promote patriarchy and the marginalisation of women and girls. Those with disabilities, in particular, face disproportionately more gender-based violence than men, with or without disabilities and women without disabilities (Lomazzi, 2023). Women and girls with disabilities, therefore, experience double discrimination, which places them at higher risk violence and other forms of maltreatment. Regrettably, violence and its drivers are against the grain of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda 2030, which are consistent with the proper understanding of the dignity of all persons.