Q & A with the
2017 Winner & 2022 Pageant Coordinator
Karen Pamela Rocha Ruiz : Karen was born in Valle de la Trinidad , Ensenada in Baja California . She is an activist for the rights of people with disabilities , Paralympic athlete , President of the “ Bufalos Adaptado ” club in Mexicali and first representative in Mexico in the Miss Wheelchair World contest for women with motor disabilities that was held in Warsaw , Poland in 2017 . She held the first inclusion contest for women with motor disabilities at the national level in Coatzacoalcos , Veracruz in 2019 and is the Director of the international contest “ Miss Wheelchair World ” 2022
As an activist for inclusion , Karen seeks to achieve greater empathy in citizens by giving awareness-raising conferences , and thus gradually achieving respect for the rights of all people under equal conditions .
As an athlete she has managed to stand out especially in the discipline of Paralympic archery .
As International director of “ Miss Wheechair World ” 2022 , she conveys the importance of ensuring security and thus improving self-esteem in every woman with disability in her country and sharing that beautiful experience with more Mexican women and also in other countries .
She is the author of “ Viaje a un mundo desconocido ”.
What are the biggest pending issues that your country must resolve in favor of women who are disabled ?
There are still pending issues regarding equality and opportunities in many areas for women with disabilities since we find ourselves in a situation of greater vulnerability due to the multiple discriminations we suffer because of gender and disability .
We have less political participation and less access to employment than men with disabilities , in addition we suffer gender-based violence and abuse in a higher percentage than other women . To fight against this situation , it is necessary to empower these women so that they know their rights .
It is necessary to guarantee equitable access to health services ; implement employment policies that take into account the equality of women based on gender and disability ; public recognition of the human rights violations that thousands of girls and women with disabilities have suffered in our country .
What does women empowerment mean to you ?
I understand empowerment as the ability of women to increase their self-confidence , the power and authority to be able to decide freely in all aspects that affect their lives .
The way to achieve this is through the development of their capacities , offering them the necessary support to determine their life ' s itinerary through the exercise and defense of their rights and the promotion of their autonomy and independence until they achieve it .
Do you believe the articles of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are observed in Mexico ?
We cannot make the visible invisible . The full enjoyment of human rights is violated by people and they also limit the social mobility of vulnerable groups .
12 Miss Wheelchair World USA