Design of a tool to measure stigma experienced by women and girls with disabilities

A project focusing on women and girls with disabilities in countries affected by conflict and humanitarian crises, in partnership with the UN Development Project.

Across large parts of the world, girls and women of all ages with any form of disability face multiple forms of discrimination and inequalities, driven by multiple attitudinal barriers, prejudice and stereotypes. As a result, they are often excluded from the social and economic dividends of progress. They are more likely to be illiterate, to be unemployed, living in poverty and hunger, and frequently
are the targets of gender-based and sexual violence.

The impact of stigma and discrimination on people with disabilities – especially women – has long been recognised. Still, a strong
understanding of disability stigma and how it affects opportunities and well-being has been hampered by the lack of robust data
and internationally recognised tools and methodologies. A lack of understanding of the underlying determinants perpetuating stigma and discrimination has meant that we’ve sought to address these issues predominantly through social awareness campaigns.

Prof Katrina Scior and Prof Maria Kett developed a partnership with the UN Development Programme, which has been funded by the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and worked with researchers and partners in Moldova, Pakistan, Palestine, and Samoa. These countries act as pilot sites in seeking to develop a comprehensive understanding of stigmatising experiences of women and girls with disabilities and how to tackle them effectively. Women with diverse disabilities have been closely involved in the work in the four countries.

A new tool, developed in partnership between researchers from the UCL Unit for Stigma Research and partners in the four pilot countries, improves understanding of the range of stigmatising experiences faced by women with diverse disabilities and the role of intersecting sources of inequalities.

This project is an ongoing initiative, and since have worked with the UN on their Addressing Stigma, Discrimination, and Violence Against Women with Disabilities programme. Prof Scior developed the Women with Disabilities Stigma Inventory (WDSI) to facilitate the collection of detailed data on the experiences of women with disabilities in relation to stigma, discrimination and violence. This was field tested in four countries, including 337 women in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. A policy brief and guidance were published by the UN in 2024.