2005 and the 10th anniversary of the Beijing International Women's Conference provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made towards addressing women's rights and representation. Although there have been many developments and achievements there are still areas where women are 'invisible' and their struggles and successes go unrecorded.  Providing role models of  women who have made their voices heard in public forums, in communities and in the work-place is a powerful tool and inspiration for young women of the future. We would like to pay tribute and celebrate the achievements of these women from all over the world who are 'making a difference'. Throughout the forthcoming year we will be featuring a series of interviews and profiles of some of these women with whom we have been privileged to work, we hope you will enjoy reading their stories and be inspired by their achievements.

Our first interview is with Isabel Ferreira from Argentina (pictured left), a lawyer and specialist in the protection of rights for the disabled.  

“WHEN WE THINK ABOUT DISABLED PEOPLE THE FIRST WORD THAT COMES TO OUR MINDS IS PROTECTION RATHER THAN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES”
Isabel Ferreira is a lawyer and a specialist in the protection of rights for the disabled. As a legal advisor at the Ombudsperson’s Office and an active member of the Network for the Rights of Disabled People (REDI - Red por los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad). She works for the effective implementation of the regulations that guarantee the integration of disabled people, facing the challenge of introducing an issue that even though it is within the Argentine legislation, it is not really well-known.

Although we may think that both things are related, being physically disabled had nothing to do with Isabel’s decision to study law. Isabel Ferreira worked as an independent lawyer for several years without addressing herself to the issue. When she had to bring up her two little children,  as well as working and studying, she decided that it was time to devote herself to her family  and take a break from her career. However, she never imagined that some years later, when she decided to return to her career, as an employee this time, her search would be so difficult.

During that time, she heard several different excuses, but none of them seemed strong enough for her to think that she was suffering from labour discrimination until she found saw the requirement in a job advert for “agile movement” at a medical laboratory that was looking for translators!   

This woman, who had already learnt to overcome her own difficulties,was so angered by these experiences that she decided to target the public administration sector and tried to enforce the Quota Act. In Argentina, this Act demands a minimum 4% of disabled people (and 5% in Buenos Aires city) are part of the workforce in the civil service. Although already in existence the task was to see it enforced. “We have a vast body of law, and I have found that we are one of the countries that has better legislation,” says Ferreira, “ however there is still room for improvement in the regulations and structures which will take time and technological developments; and we do have a huge amount of legislation: the problem here is the failure to comply with the law.”

Nowadays, after several years of work, Isabel Ferreira still addresses herself to the task of building and defending spaces that respect and take into account the needs and the demands of people with disabilities.

Are the difficulties to move towards effective integration due to the lack of information?
Of course but there are also many other causes. One is the budget for full and effective integration, and another is the lack of awareness-raising campaigns. The lack of inclusion is also an important factor. If a boy, during his primary education has direct contact with a disabled boy, he would become aware of the issues of those with disabilities at an early age and how to deal with them. The day when the integration at the educational level is achieved their inclusion will be seen as natural and  part of the society in which they live. The other important factor is the very low level of participation of disabled people. It is a vicious circle, in many cases this is because of lack of information, they do not know their own rights and, in other cases, this is because the person is isolated due to the lack of resources which enables them to participate.

What does it mean, in the case of disabled people, to guarantee “equal opportunities” or “inclusion”?
To compensate  for disadvantages which those with a disability endure and to achieve equality for them. Obviously, this will require a different positive action in a physically disabled person than in a deaf, a blind or a mentally disabled one. Different types of positive measures allow us to reduce the disparities that are produced by the specific disability. We need financial investment in order to address these disadvantages and  offer equal opportunities.

A starting point, according to Ferreira, would be to guarantee “the presence of a skilled disabled person working on this issue in each government agency, and to involve them in developing policy and practice which will address the needs of the disabled. Another way of starting would be that the disabled person can have free legal advice that enables him/her to claim his/her rights in case of trial.”

Bearing in mind this objective, she insists that we need to plan and coordinate the designing of policies related to this issue. “Disability, she states firmly, needs co-ordinated programme planning, and crucially finances for the implementation of that programme in the relevant national or local budget. We cannot keep on passing acts on disability because the concept of integration cannot be achieved at this level; besides not everyone reads them, only the stakeholders do. The regulation must be in the national legislation, not in a separate one.”

In this integration process, the participation and joint work of all the involved players is essential and defines one of the basic criteria of REDI, an institution where Ferreira is an active member. “REDI consists of a group of disabled and non disabled people. This is another important factor, because it ensures that by working together we can make progress on the changes needed. Imagine how difficult it would be for me to carry out a survey on inaccessible places from an architectural point of view. Impossible. I need a non-disabled person to carry out this kind of task. It is very important for both sectors to work jointly,” the lawyer says.

How are the different claims and demands from the involved players organized?
REDI is the only organization that groups different types of disabilities in order to destroy the idea of ghetto. For example, the physically disabled person needs a measure that may affect the blind one. In REDI we insist that all types of disabilities must be present in order to asses the measures to be asked for, in such a way that they do not benefit some people and disadvantage others; we try to carry out  joint work.

In REDI “we work with a large number of organizations, at national and local level, submitting propositions, collaborating on research papers, but this is actually done as a contribution, since REDI does not want to render any kind of service that would imply a commercials status. REDI does not have its own resources. The different organizations that are part of REDI contribute time and resources depending on their capacity, thus making the work of REDI possible,” Dr Ferreira explains.

Currently, REDI together with AMIA, La Usina, Accesible.com and Fundación Rumbos are focusing on developing the “Accessible Cities” programme. This programme seeks to work, from the cities, by integrally approaching all spheres related to disability problems. The strategy consists in “ engaging the interest of the different players who are involved in this issue, not only local governments or the Tourism Secretariat, but also the Education Secretariat of that city and other cities in the country that we are trying to cover; but we obviously expect them to have access to the necessary local resources,” she says emphatically.

How does REDI relate to foreign organizations in order to exchange experiences?
We have participated in some events and congresses. I attended the Congress on Women and Disability, during the European year on disability, but the lack of resources were problematic it is very expensive to participate. I have to stay in hotels where my accessibility is granted, and this costs money; I have to travel by air, even within the country. One of the factors that I stated as a negative point regarding integration is the poor participation of disabled people, but the participation of a disabled person implies really high costs. Participation, to create a world wide network, is really difficult for the disabled people.

Though arduous and comprehensive – as she herself defines it – the issue that engages her and to which she devotes a good time of her daily life, far from discouraging her, seems to increasingly involve her. All along the interview, her tone becomes more intense and categorical, and each word becomes more eloquent and emphasised by her gestures, through which she stresses each idea.

Has there been a moment when you thought that you were lost or that you could not go ahead?
No, never. Discouragement does not defeat me, in any case anger beats me. I normally do not give in to discouragement. I keep to my commitment. This is a very comprehensive work: it is not only the legislative work to adopt the regulation, but also the executive one to regulate and enforce that measure. Personally, I am very interested in the control stage because it has never existed. The development of the resources to ensure regulations are implemented requires a lot of imagination. Disability covers absolutely all the activities in daily life, all the groups, all the spheres: family, society, education, work.

What do you think, has been your contribution all along these years?
My contribution is work, study; to work with people facing the same problems and to reach a consensus on ideas. To have, if we want, the capacity to see where the problem is and manage to tackle it without making this a privilege. The pursued goal is equal opportunities, because equality does not exist when we start from unevenness; this is our task, day after day, every single day of the week. I do not work alone, I work in a team, I work with REDI because it has no political affiliations, though it has a political ideology. It does not render services, nor receive subsidies from the authorities that it seeks to influence. To implement the design, coordination and control of human rights in the area.

At Isabel Ferreira’s office, the telephone rings once more, as it did throughout the interview: a sign of the constant work performed by this woman who, far from being satisfied with her achievements, only thinks about what still remains to be done.

For more information on the Women of the World Interviews and profiles or our Gender and Equality work please contact Alison Smith, Gender Consultant

Special thanks to Carolina Balparda for conducting the interview with Isabel Ferreira for the British Council.