World Bank - Diversity Week 2009
Washington DC
Addressing the Social Exclusion of
Women With Disabilities:
The Australian Experience
Presented by:
Margherita Coppolino Manager – Access &
Inclusion, Corporate Strategy
Government of Victoria (Australia) Department of Planning & Community Development
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.
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
Disability in Australia - The Policy Context
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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
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
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
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
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
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
Key Strategies to promote the social
inclusion of women with disabilities [1]
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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;
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
Key Strategies to promote the social
inclusion of women with disabilities [2]
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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
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
A model of best practice
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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
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
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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.
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
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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
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
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.
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
Examples of WWDA’s Global Reciprocal
Memberships
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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
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)
Any Questions?
© photographs copyright to & courtesy of Women With Disabilities Australia
Margherita Coppolino – Diversity Consultant (www.margheritacoppolino.com.au)