Building Capacity of Women with Disabilities
SHANTA Memorial Rehabilitation Centre (SMRC) has always focused on Gender in the context of disability in all its work since 1985. In 1986 in its first rural program it initiated a major Women’s Self Help Group supported by SIDA. One special program for women with leprosy. In all other programs women with disabilities participated in large numbers.1991 it spearheaded a women with disabilities campaign in the State (Odisha) to bring visibility to their issues.
Advocacy
From 2005-2006 it participated in the UNRPD drafting meetings in the UN especially article 6 on women and Art 11 on Disaster and followed with attending the States Conference in 2008, 2009 and 2010
Networking
1996 a National Conference on Media and WWD was organized where women from across India participated and laid guidelines for Media.
2004 at Goa it conducted a sub theme “Intersecting the women with disabilities movement with women’s movement in India” at the Xlth National Conference of the Indian Association of Women’s Studies. It followed this with promoting a plenary speaker at the 2006 meeting.
Research
2003 SMRC promoted India’s first book on Women Disability and Identity (Sage, New Delhi, London, New York)
2006 with assistance from UNDP/Govt. of India it carried out a survey entitled “Multi State Socio-Economic Study of Women with Disabilities” Study authors were Dr. S.B.Agmhotri IAS, Prof Asha Hans and Amrita Patel (Women’s Studies).
2006 Asha Hans Gender, Technology and Disability in the South Development (2006) 49, 123-127,-doi:10.1057/palgrave.development.1100306
2006 as part of its Global Campaign on Disability and Disaster it presented a paper “Inclusion of Disability and Gender in Disaster Management and Response” Prof. Dr.Asha Hans & Ms.Reena Mohanty First Disaster National Congress organized by Ministry of Home.
2008 The Need for a Framework for combined disability and gender budgeting by Asha Hans, Amrita Patel and S.B.Agnihotri was published in the Indian Journal of Gender Studies, Vol. 15 No.2
Inhouse Resources material –
- Towards an Inclusive Society for Women with Disabilities – Strategies Plan
- Realizing the Rights of Women with Disabilities (Advocacy techniques used to raise awareness and inform action by Azadi Ki Udaan
- Guidelines for Health Provider on Accessibility of Health Services for Women with Disabilities
- Handbook for Women with Disabilities on Financial Literacy
- IEC Material on Domestic Violence against Women with Disabilities
- Training Module (Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights of adolescent and young girls with disabilities)
2007 based on the survey with the assistance of Rehabilitation International a program relating to Women with Disabilities was initiated in four States of Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh. Orissa and West Bengal
2009 with support from UNDESA and Rehabilitation International it carried out a Women with Disabilities program related to Livelihood in four States of India.
2010 it received Disability Rights Fund (2010-2012) for training women in UNCRPD and forming a national network.
2012 it has received the Disability Rights Fund for forming a national platform on women with disabilities and inclusion of disability issues in CEDAW
2014 – Women with Disabilities presented the Report to the CEDAW Committee in Geneva and the committee also gave a recommendation to the Government
2015 – 2016 received a grant from the USAID
- Four Gender Disability Resource Centers were established in Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha and Telangana with the support from USAID. A total of 40 Capacity Building workshops were conducted for Women with Disabilities, survivors of Domestic Violence on Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, their Rights and Entitlements.
- Awareness workshops for Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs), Protection Officers and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) were organized to create understanding on the issues of Women with Disabilities.
2017 With the support of PSI & USAID work was carried out on finance Literacy training so linkage with their entrepreneurship so bank & government schemes could be explained women with disabilities.
2016- 19 With the support of Common Wealth Foundation consultations were organized with grass root women with disabilities from all the states of India to use human rights mechanisms on Article 6 in response to the India UNCRPD Review.
2018 With the support of PSI & USAID we are working for the Adolescent girls and women by Building their capacity on SRHR. Awareness in schools on SRHR.
2019 With the support of USAID we are working for the Women with Disabilities in India by Building their Capacity : Promoting their Right to Independent Living in the Community and Ending Violence.
2020 from Disability Rights Fund to train women with disabilities on concluding remarks of UNCRPD Committee
2021 With the support of Common Wealth Foundation Developing a Guideline for women with disabilities for use in Emergencies such as COVID 19.
Training
Awareness/ Workshops
2009 Made a presentation on Livelihood of Women with Disabilities at International Forum of the Shafallah Center, in Doha, Qatar.
10th March 2010 the 100 yrs of International Women’s Day was a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future, a special program for the Women with Disabilities was organized
2010 made presentation in Side Event of UNCRPD State meeting on Women with Disabilities in New York
Use of Technology
Technology is very important for women with disabilities. As part of projects SMRC has developed learning apps on rights and provided training on use of smart phones and the apps
As part of a Campaign “Azadi Ki Udaan” to End Violence against Women with Disabilities SMRC developed a mobile application which had four major sections such as Domestic Violence, Health, Rights and Government Schemes for Women with Disabilities. The Mobile App “Azadi Ki Udaan” provided information on Rights related to Health, Education, Employment of Women with Disabilities and state and national schemes available for them. It also contains information about Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act and explains how and whom they can approach in an abusive situation.
In 2020 An accessible mobile app has been produced on sexual and reproductive rights.