SAFOD

Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled

	Home< Programmes< WRDP

Women’s Regional Development Programme (WDRP)

Supports women with disabilities to develop the confidence and the leadership skills to obtain equal opportunities and equal treatment in disability organizations and main stream structures.

In September 2007 ten women from all SAFOD member countries, forming the Women’s General Assembly in Windhoek, Namibia, elected the new Women’s Executive Committee: Josephine Shinaka from Zambia took over the Chair, supported by her deputy chairperson Silvia de Almeida from Angola. Sinah Gwebu from South Africa was elected Hon. Secretary/Treasurer of the committee, Programme Coordinator Dorothy Musakanya and Tiisetso Sebota from Lesotho became a member of the Women’s Regional Committee to lead the Programme up to 2010.
In terms of participation in the structures of SAFOD the WRDP has done very well: disabled women have managed to have a Constitutional Claim to Fifty percent in all decision-making bodies.

The bulk of the credit of this achievement must go to the women leadership themselves for effectively bridging the gender imbalance from the men. Also the men of SAFOD have been generally supportive of women in political and economic issues.

Mrs. Rachel Kachaje -

Malawi

DPI promotes the human rights, economical and social integration of disabled people through capacity building and advocacy. It represents five regions, Caribbean/North America, Asia/Pacific, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the newly-created Arab Region making it six. The 31 members elected  to World Council comprise representatives from all the six regions who meet biannually to set policy and make major decisions for the organisations.

The Executive Committee which is elected at the World Assembly consists of nine members that meet every two months mainly through teleconferences to  review progress  in terms of implementing  the DPI Strategic Plan. The World Assembly takes place in any country which is a member of DPI. The country that will host the next World Assembly in 2011 is yet to be decided by the World Council following receipt of bids or proposals by interested and capable countries. It is understood from some DPO leaders who attended the 7th World Assembly in South Korea that the next World Assembly should be hosted by an African country, possibly Kenya or South Africa, that is if they successfully bid for this opportunity. If either one of them succeeds it would be the first time in the history of DPI that Africa will host the World Assembly.

Come on Africa.......GO FOR IT!

for more information on DPI go to www.dpi.org

Published 03 December, 2007

Disabled Women: the most vulnerable group in society

SAFOD disabled women managed to have a constitutional claim
to fifty percent in all decision-making bodies

Women with disabilities are the most vulnerable and marginalized group in society. SAFOD’s Women Regional Development Programme (WRDP) is aimed to create and strengthen organizations for women with disabilities. The programme seeks at developing leadership skills among disabled women and conscientising disabled women to enable them to effectively participate in the development process.

The 35 female delegates from all African regions paved way for the participation of disabled women in the African Decade Action Plan. The foundation-stone was laid for an African wide women’s wing of PAFOD, the Disabled Women in Africa (DIWA).
A Women’s Steering Committee was build with representatives of PAFOD, SAFOD and the four other regions: East Africa, West Africa, North Africa and Central Africa.
This committee was given the task to draw up a comprehensive plan to spearhead the inclusion of women with disabilities in the African Decade activities, systems and structures.
 

Ten women delegates from all SAFOD member countries form the SAFOD Women’s General Assembly.

The majority of disabled women are poor and live in rural and marginalized urban areas.