Women with disabilities make up over 25% of the female population in the EU, yet their stories often go unheard.
This powerful exhibition, organised by the European Disability Forum (EDF), brings their lived experiences to the Gender Equality Forum.
The 12 photos shine a spotlight on the realities of these women’s lives, their challenges, and their resistance - and aim to make participants think about their own perception of (and bias against) women and girls with disabilities. But more than that - the exhibition also highlights how much women and girls with disabilities can contribute to defining and shaping equality in 2025 and beyond.
Viviana: resistance, resilience, and courage
Black and white photo of a middle-aged, medium-haired woman practising yoga. She has prosthetic hands and legs. This photo captures Viviana during an Iyengar Yoga class, two years after losing her limbs due to a medical error. She embodies strength, resilience, and unwavering courage.
Administration
A woman who uses a wheelchair is working in her office at a town hall in Spain. As she answers the phone, she balances keeping her papers in order, surrounded by a bit of chaos. Despite the challenges, she wears a smile on her face, radiating positivity amidst the mess.
Thoughts in colours
A young woman sits in a painting class, focused on her artwork. Her ponytail reveals a cochlear implant behind her ear. Though she and the model share the same condition - bilateral sensorineural hearing loss - and both wear cochlear implants, the photographer - one of her classmates and her - they've come to realise that nothing can hold you back in life when you pursue it with passion.
Little Things
A black and white photo captures a tender moment between a mother and daughter. The daughter age of 3 gently guides her mother’s wheelchair, radiating love and care in the simplicity of the gesture.
Beyond Catwalk
A woman with a prosthetic leg smiles confidently as she stands using crutches. Beyond the catwalk, there's nothing to hide - only joy and beauty expressed with style and grace. It's about embracing full self-awareness. This photo, captured by Roberto Marsella at the CAM (Multifunctional Aggregation Center, Zone 9, Milan), shows her and others in the Digital Image Laboratory, where they enjoyed pretending to be models for a day.
Our rights!
A young woman, a wheelchair user, participates in a feminist demonstration on the streets of Lisbon, Portugal. Her wheelchair is covered with posters displaying powerful feminist messages, and she stands proudly beside a large banner that reads "For All of Us."
Hold the sunrise
A woman, a wheelchair user, gazes at the sunset in a harbour in Romania. The soft glow of the setting sun highlights her strength as she looks out over the horizon, embodying resilience and hope.
Sasha and the Geometry of Autism
An autistic girl - around 6 - stands in a museum, intently gazing at a crystal with a large clock embedded within it. Sasha, a dedicated student, has a deep love for exploring museums, especially drawn to their architecture. Could her fascination with geometry be the key to her interest?
Rebirth
A young woman sits melancholically, wearing a white shirt, gently holding her prosthetic legs with quiet confidence. The simplicity of the pose and her serene expression speak volumes about her strength and resilience.
Persons with disabilities show others the brighter and more beautiful side of life that we often do not notice
A picturesque autumn landscape unfolds as trees don their vibrant yellow hues. In a serene park, a young woman strolls alongside her friend with an intellectual disability, who is in a wheelchair. The sunlight filters gently through the leaves, casting a warm glow on their path, highlighting the beauty of the season and their friendship.
Arts no barriers
A vibrant image of a group of young musicians and singers, each with varying intellectual disabilities, celebrates their passion for music in a big stage. Some members joyfully raise their arms, embodying the spirit of enthusiasm and inclusion.
Freedom of Movement
A middle-aged woman in a brown coat, using a wheelchair, is attempting to access a building in Brussels, Belgium. In front of her are a set of stairs that are inaccessible. Affixed to the back of her wheelchair is a banner that boldly proclaims, "Freedom of Movement."
