26 chapter 1: Disability and the community
Taking action
• Organize social activities that help
disabled girls come out of their
homes and meet other people with
disabilities and other young girls.
• Share information about finding or
creating work.
Here are some other
ideas for women with
disabilities to help
their communities take
action.
• Support women who are treated
badly at home or in public or in the workplace.
• Offer training in leadership and social skills.
Providing resources for change in Uganda
The Uganda Disabled Women’s Association maintains a revolving loan
program for disabled women to start their own businesses,
provides education and mobility aids, and runs a
drama group to raise public awareness about
disabled women. They strive to increase
disabled women’s rights and well-being,
to advocate for better education
for disabled children, to teach
independent living skills, to share
reproductive health information, and
“to fight poverty, ignorance, social
differences, and disease.”
Women make change happen in El Salvador
In El Salvador, the disability rights group ACOGIPRI has organized women’s
programs since 1987, bringing together disabled women from diverse
backgrounds to hold discussions about
sexuality and other issues. They also:
• provide literacy and leadership
training.
• make aids and services available to
girls and women with any form of
disability.
• prevent discrimination and violence.
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities 2007