BARRIERS TO INCLUSION: THE STRUGGLES OF WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study explores the employment challenges and discrimination encountered by women with disabilities and their implications for inclusion and empowerment. Employing a qualitative approach, the research utilizes in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to elucidate the multifaceted challenges surrounding the employment and unemployment of women with disabilities. The findings indicate that within a patriarchal and ableist social structure, disabled women confront profound economic hardship, exacerbated by discriminatory attitudes from colleagues and supervisors that further marginalize them. In addition to these challenges, their impairments also influence job performance and career trajectories, leading to a reduced social standing, lower self-perception, and diminished overall quality of life.