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Parliamentary question - E-004912/2014Parliamentary question
E-004912/2014

EU support for women with autism

Question for written answer E-004912-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Richard Howitt (S&D)

A List of Actions 2010-2015 was brought out to implement the European Disability Strategy (EDS) 2010-2020. Presumably there will be a further list of actions for 2015 to 2020.

Article 6 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, headed ‘Women with disabilities’, says that: ‘States Parties recognise that women and girls with disabilities are subject to multiple discrimination, and in this regard shall take measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment by them of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.’

But the report by Angelika Werthmann on women and disabilities regrets the fact that the EDS 2010-2020 ‘does not include any integrated gender perspective or any separate gender specific disability policies’ (p. 8, paragraph 2). The report also states that ‘women and girls with disabilities can only enjoy equal rights if gender justice is realised’ (p. 7, recital N), and insists that ‘disability policies should be gender mainstreamed’ (p. 8, paragraph 2).

1. Can the Commission provide guidance on how the issue of under-diagnosis of women with autism can be addressed in the EDS List of Actions, given that lack of diagnosis seriously undermines the ability of women to enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms?

2. Can the Commission provide guidance on how countries across the EU can ensure that diagnostic tests are adapted to take into account the differences between women and men with autism (as is starting to take place in the UK and Scandinavia)?

OJ C 405, 14/11/2014