Listen to Her Silence: Body Safety and the Forgotten Girls
- Chomba Nyemba-Mubanga
- Jun 7
- 2 min read
Body safety is a right, not a privilege and yet for so many girls with disabilities, that right is ignored, overlooked, or outright denied. As a member of the Global Youth Advisory Board (GYAB), I want to raise my voice for those who are too often left out of the conversation, because girls with disabilities matter. Their safety matters.
Why Body Safety Matters for Girls with Disabilities
Girls with disabilities face double discrimination: one because they are girls, and another because they have a disability. This makes them more vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and violence, especially in environments that are not accessible, inclusive, or protective.
Many times, people assume that girls with disabilities don't understand their bodies or don’t need the same protections as other girls. This is wrong. Every girl, regardless of ability, deserves to know that her body is her own and she has the right to protect it.
The Harsh Reality
In some communities, girls with disabilities are taught to be silent. They're not given information about their rights, their bodies, or how to say "no" to unwanted touch. Some are even taught that being abused is just part of their experience.
This silence is dangerous.
Without access to body safety education, sign language interpreters, or support systems, many girls with disabilities are unable to report abuse or even recognize it. And because they are often isolated at home, in school, or in institutions they are easy targets for those who wish to harm them.
What Body Safety Can Look Like?
True body safety goes beyond teaching girls to say “no.” It means: Access to inclusive, accessible education on body autonomy, consent, and healthy relationships.
Safe reporting spaces with trained professionals who understand disability and can communicate in ways that girls with different abilities understand.
Support for caregivers and families to empower girls with disabilities rather than shame or silence them.
Disability-inclusive sexual and reproductive health services, including information in braille, sign language, and simplified formats.
Policy changes that prioritize protection for girls with disabilities in schools, communities, and health systems.
My Call to Action
We cannot keep quiet when so many girls are unsafe in their own bodies. As a youth advocate, I call on governments, NGOs, schools, and communities to recognize the unique vulnerabilities of girls with disabilities and act.
Let’s include their voices in conversations about body safety. Let’s make education accessible. Let’s provide safe spaces and believe them when they speak up.
Because no girl should be made to feel ashamed of her body. No girl should be left unprotected. And no girl with or without a disability should be left behind.
Let’s make safety truly inclusive. Let’s start by listening to every girl.
Written by Chomba Nyemba-Mubanga
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