Employment: A Dominant Bodies’ Right?

Abstract

This article analyzes the perceptions of women with physical disabilities about the main forms of violation of the right to work that they face in public institutions in the Latacunga city in the period 2019-2024 and the challenges of comprehensive reparation. A mainly qualitative methodology was used through semi-structured interviews with four women with physical disabilities, based on a review of secondary sources. The main findings indicate that, despite the existence of a robust protective framework, the absence of a gender-sensitive approach and the persistence of discriminatory labor practices undermine the effective fulfillment of the right to work in its multiple dimensions. There is also a perceived abandonment by the state in the fulfillment of affirmative actions to guarantee this right. The lack of empowerment over rights combined with the persistent culture of social exclusion makes access to justice and, therefore, comprehensive reparation difficult.