World Bank - Diversity Week 2009 Washington DC Addressing the Social Exclusion of Women With...

World Bank - Diversity Week 2009 Washington DC

Addressing the Social Exclusion of Women With Disabilities:

The Australian ExperiencePresented by:Margherita Coppolino Manager – Access & Inclusion, Corporate StrategyGovernment of Victoria (Australia) Department of Planning & Community Development

© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities AustraliaMargherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)

Disability in Australia

• 4 million people with disabilities in Australia (20% of the population)

• 2.6 million people with disabilities are under 65 years of age

• 50.5% of people with disabilities in Australia are women

• 1.2 million people with disabilities sometimes / always need help or supervision with self-care, mobility or communication

• The projected growth from 2006 to 2010 (15-64 years) with a severe or profound limitation is 6.9 per cent or 37,500 people.


Disability in Australia - The Policy Context• New Federal Labor Government installed November 2007• Focus on and commitment to human rights• National Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples Feb 2008• National Social Inclusion agenda – focusing on employment, access

to services, connecting with family & community, dealing with crisis, having voice heard

• Development of new National Strategies & Frameworks – eg: Disability; Housing & Homelessness; Mental Health; Violence Prevention; Child Protection; Women’s Health

• Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) – July 2008

• Development of a National Compact - an agreement between the Australian Government and the not-for-profit sector based on partnership and respect

• Australian Aid program’s disability-inclusive development strategy


Key Issues for Women with Disabilities in Australia

• Violence & Abuse• Forced Sterilisation• Reproductive

Rights• Sexuality• Motherhood &

Parenting• Health Issues

• Education, Employment & Income Support

• Housing & Accommodation• Information Technologies• Citizenship & Inclusion


Barriers to Inclusion for women with disabilities

• Negative stereotypes from both a gender & disability perspective

• Poverty• Discrimination• Non-optional costs of disability• Un/under employment• Inequitable educational opportunities &

outcomes• Experience of & vulnerability to violence• Inaccessible environments• Issues relating to transport, child care,

attendant care, insecure housing, inflexible work arrangements


Key Strategies to promote the social inclusion of women with disabilities [1]

• Ratification and implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) & the CRPD Optional Protocol

• Ratification and implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and its Optional Protocol

• Employment of focused, gender-specific measures to ensure girls and women with disabilities have equal access to education and training;

• Employment of focused, gender-specific measures to ensure that disabled women experience maximum participation in the labour market on the basis of equality;


Key Strategies to promote the social inclusion of women with disabilities [2]

• Data collection - in all areas, disaggregated by gender & disability, and routinely collected, analysed and published;

• Research - encompassing qualitative & quantitative methodologies; inclusive of women with disabilities; and findings integrated into relevant national policy;

• Establishment, support & strengthening of organisations, networks and groups run and controlled by women with disabilities in the pursuit of their collective interests, as defined by them;

• Provision of specific information on women with disabilities in Human Rights Conventions Periodic Reports and accompanying NGO Shadow Reports;

• Establishment of global collectives and networks of women with disabilities – to share experiences, expertise and work collaboratively on common issues


Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)A model of best practice

• Winner, National Human Rights Award 2001• Winner, National Violence Prevention Award 1999• Winner, Tasmanian Women's Safety Award 2008• Certificate of Merit, Australian Crime & Violence Prevention

Awards 2008• Nominee, French Republic's Human Rights Prize 2003• Nominee, UN Millennium Peace Prize for Women 2000


Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)

• Is the peak organisation for women with all types of disabilities in Australia

• Incorporated in 1995• Aim of WWDA is to be the national voice

for the needs and rights of women with disabilities and a national force to improve the lives and life chances of women with disabilities

• Objectives are to: a) actively promote the participation of women with disabilities in all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life; b) be the national representative organisation for women with disabilities in Australia by undertaking systemic advocacy, providing policy advice, undertaking research, and, providing information and education.


Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)

• Is a cross-disability, feminist, human rights organisation;

• Managed and run by women with disabilities (men can be associates but don’t have voting rights);

• Women with disabilities set the priorities for the organisation;

• WWDA has strong input into Government policies, but its primary responsibility is to its members;

• Strong grass roots support and has direct membership;

• Works collaboratively with a wide range of organisations and sectors;

• Is strategic – has an extensive and fast growing network of diverse support;

• Has high visibility - especially in the virtual world;

• Has a sound understanding of the machinery of governments;

• Has a governance structure that works best for the organisation;• Conducts projects that are considered unique and innovative


WWDA – Supporting Women With Disabilities in Development

Examples include:• WWDA is an Australian Partner Organisation for the Australian Youth

Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) Program (AusAID). Currently supporting development work with the Indonesian Association of Women with Disabilities;

• WWDA supports emerging women’s groups in the Asia-Pacific region through WWDA’s position and role on the Global Fund for Women (GFW) International Advisory Committee;

• WWDA freely distributes its publications & resource materials to women’s and disability groups throughout the world;

• The extensive resources on WWDA’s website are free and accessible to any user;

• WWDA promotes reciprocal membership arrangements with women’s groups and organisations worldwide;

• WWDA provides practical assistance to emerging groups of women with disabilities throughout the world, eg: teaching submission writing; developing programs; sourcing funding opportunities; providing referee reports; sharing organisational development materials, etc.


Examples of WWDA’s Global Reciprocal Memberships

• Swat Youth Front Malakand Region, NWFP, Pakistan• Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union• United Blind Person's of Fiji• Centre for Sustainable Development, Kathmandu, Nepal• Dutch Coalition on Disability & Development• European Network on Independent Living• National Anti Poverty Commission, Philippines• South African National Council for the Blind• European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Hungary


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