CONSULTATION WORKSHOP WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES IN DEVELOPMENT
3 March, 2013 Multan
National Forum of Women with Disabilities| March 2013|Email: nfwwd.pk@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION Women with disabilities are disadvantaged in several key areas when compared with other women, men with disabilities, and the society as a whole. These women face a triple handicap and discrimination due to their disability, gender and developing world status. Considering the estimation of 2010 within the global population ‘more than a billion people are living with some form of disability, or about 15% of the world’s population’(WHO, WB 2011:7). Women outnumber men, as in the developing countries, women constitute up to three quarters of all persons with disabilities. Between 65% and 70% of these women with disabilities live in rural areas. The prevalence of disability in Pakistan is about 2.49 % (according to the 1998 National Population Census report). Approximately 3.2 million persons with disabilities (2.49 per cent of the population), 1.37 million of which are females. The efforts of the public sector and UN/International Organizations have brought about a thematic change in enhancing the awareness among the People with Disabilities (PWDs) in Pakistan. The NGOs have also played an effective role in motivating the private sector and in creating awareness and sense of responsibility at the policy levels. Although Pakistan government is a signatory to UNCRPD, Women with disabilities are disadvantaged. The systematic exclusion of persons with disabilities overall, and specifically women with disabilities, from the rest of the society is the key factor behind the growing campaigns for the networking and raising joint voices of women with disabilities world-wide. To ensure full and equal inclusion and participation of women with disabilities in the development process, dynamic and effective strategies for the promotion and empowerment of women with disabilities all over the country and will be adopted international forum through developing a cooperation mechanism.
On 3 March 2013, coordination meeting of women with disabilities organized which was attended by 10-15 women with disabilities, observed by CBID Network, STEP and SSP.
National Forum of Women with Disabilities| March 2013|Email: nfwwd.pk@gmail.com
OBJECTIVES OF THE MEETING: 1. Networking and Collaboration: To promote the cooperation on women with disability related concerns through strengthening and facilitating Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs) in Multan to link them further on the whole province and national level.
2. Role of Disabled People Organization to promote the rights of women with disabilities: To achieve the mainstreamed implementation of the UNCRPD (UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities).
3. Punjab Chapter: To offer expert advice, research, technical cooperation and operational assistance to States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders, in order to regional capacities and national cooperation on the concerns of women with disabilities.
4. Role of Women with Disabilities: To empower, facilitate and engage women with disabilities from very grass-roots level.
PROGRAM SUMMARY: Welcome Note
Ms. Zahida Hameed
SSP
Consultation Workshop Introduction of the Forum and
Ms. Abia Akram
objectives of the meeting Group Discussions Women with Disabilities
Peer Counseling Session Conclusions
Comments by Observers CBID Network
Dr. Shahnawaz Munami
STEP
Mr. Atif Sheikh
Mr. Mian Asim Zafar
National Forum of Women with Disabilities| March 2013|Email: nfwwd.pk@gmail.com
POINTS DISCUSSED In response to the meeting of National Forum of Women with Disabilities held in Multan on 19 November 2011, http://www.docstoc.com/docs/104491550/Report-of-women-with-disabilities-2011 a group of women with disabilities was identified. These women started networking and collaborations in their own capacities. They further established some vocational centers of women with disabilities in Multan. During discussions these women themselves identified the areas where the need is to work and what were the challenges they face to reach on this stage. Few of them get married and living a very successful lives, but at the same time they shared the challenges for those women with disabilities who are living in far flung areas of Punjab and its hard heard their voices without proper mechanism of collaboration
OUTCOME: The Disabled People’s Organizations will conduct specific outreach efforts to include women with disabilities. The Punjab Chapter of NFWWDs will be established under the leadership of Ms Zahida Hameed and her team. They will contact to DPOs of all Punjab Province to collaborate and support the initiatives of NFWWDs in Punjab WAY FORWARD:
It was the first brainstorming session, need to plan in detail.
WWDs need platform to represent and share their experiences
Forum will review ten cases in each meeting for follow up from women with disabilities
Will plan to raise funds to organize meetings, seminars trainings and future activities on international level
National Forum of Women with Disabilities| March 2013|Email: nfwwd.pk@gmail.com
National Forum of Women with Disabilities| March 2013|Email: nfwwd.pk@gmail.com
National Forum of Women with Disabilities| March 2013|Email: nfwwd.pk@gmail.com