Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) was incorporated in 1995 and evolved from the National Women's Network within Disabled People's International Australia (DPIA), where it had been operating as an un-funded Network for some eight years. WWDA was initially established by a group of women with disabilities who felt that their needs and concerns were not being acknowledged or addressed within the broader disability sector, or the women's sector in Australia.
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is the peak organisation for women with all types of disabilities in Australia. It is an organiastion made up of women with disabilities and associated organisations. The national secretariat is located in Tasmania, the island State of Australia. WWDA is run by women with disabilities, for women with disabilities. It is the only organisation of its kind in Australia and one of only a very small number internationally. WWDA is inclusive and does not discriminate against any disability. WWDA seeks to ensure opportunities in all walks of life for all women with disabilities. In this it aims to increase awareness of, and address issues faced by, women with disabilities in the community. WWDA seeks to ensure the advancement of education of society to the status and needs of women with disabilities in order to promote equity, reduce suffering, poverty, discrimination and exploitation of women with disabilities. WWDA is unique, in that it operates as a national disability organisation; a national women's organisation; and a national human rights organisation.
WWDA addresses disability within a social model, which identifies the barriers and restrictions facing women with disabilities as the focus for reform.
WWDA's policy and program areas have included: Preventing Violence Against Women With Disabilities; Sterilisation and Reproductive Health of Women and Girls with Disabilities; Leadership and Mentoring; Information and Communications Technology; Housing; Health and Well-Being; Ageing; Education, Employment and Income Support; and Human Rights.
WWDA's innovative programs have been critically acclaimed at national and international levels, and the organisation has been rewarded with a number of prestigious awards in recent times. In late 2003, WWDA was formally invited by the French Government to apply for the French Republic's Human Rights Prize for 2003. WWDA was one of only two Australian entries invited to apply for the Prize. Although WWDA did not win the Prize, the judges said:
"We found your action aiming at improving the condition of women with disabilities a very deserving one indeed......we congratulate your organisation for devoting so much efforts to such a worthy cause and wish you every success in your endeavours."
In December 2001, WWDA was named the National Winner of the Australian Human Rights Award. The judges were impressed by the broad base of WWDA's work and influence and the range of methods used to advocate for women living with disabilities, from lobbying to education. They said WWDA deserved ongoing recognition and was a valuable and visible organisation. They further stated:
"......WWDA has achieved an enormous amount in a short period of time, working tirelessly on behalf of one of the most marginalised and disadvantaged groups in Australia. Areas in which it has worked assiduously include unlawful sterilisation of women and girls with disabilities, reproductive health, violence against women with disabilities, and leadership and mentoring. Although it has a domestic focus, WWDA has provided inspiration for women with disabilities all over the world, receiving letters of thanks from as far away as the Ukraine and the USA."
WWDA's groundbreaking work in the area of preventing violence against women with disabilities has seen the organisation awarded the Australian Heads of Government National Violence Prevention Award (1999), as well as a nomination for the United Nations Millennium Peace Prize for Women Award (2000).
The organisation began with a small seeding grant from the Commonwealth Office of the Status of Women (OSW). In 1996, the then Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services (later to be restructured into 2 separate Departments - the Commonwealth Department of Health & Aged Care; and the Commonwealth Department of Family & Community Services) took over responsibility for WWDA's operational funding. Between 1996-98 WWDA was funded on a six monthly basis, and was required to reapply for funding every 6 months. In 1998, the Commonwealth Department of Family & Community Services (FACS) agreed to provide WWDA's operational funding on an annual basis. WWDA's operational funding from FACS is currently $120,000 per annum. Since 1996, WWDA's operational funding has remained the same.
Other sources of funds for WWDA come from grants project funding, a small amount from donations, and some from membership fees.
The objectives of Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) are:
(a) to actively promote the participation of women with disabilities in all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life;
(b) to advocate on issues of concern to women with disabilities in Australia; and
(c) to seek to be the national representative organisation for women with disabilities in Australia by:
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is at the forefront of support and advocacy, with, and on behalf of, women with disabilities in Australia, both individually and collectively. WWDA's major roles, functions, and activities include (but are not restricted to):
Provision of systemic advocacy for women with disabilities
This can include: community education;
awareness raising; consultation; representation on advisory
bodies, Committees, Working Parties, Steering Groups; submission
writing; lobbying; ministerial delegations; appearances at
parliamentary or other types of inquiries; development of public
campaigns; use of the media; training and education of service
providers; development of models of best practice in accessible
website design and content; production of accessible journals and
Newsletters; conducting of national, State/Territory, regional
and local Conferences, seminars and forums; and so on.
Research and policy development
This can include
qualitative and quantitative research methodologies; provision of
the structures, mechanisms and expertise for research into issues
of concern to women with disabilities such as: violence; the
interaction between gender and disability; sexuality and
reproductive health; telecommunications; ageing; health;
employment; stereotyping in the media; citizenship; leadership
and mentoring; unlawful sterilisation; disability service
provision; and much more; development and publishing of Resource
Kits, Training Manuals, research reports, Conference papers;
journal articles; etc.
Project development and implementation
This can include needs based planning; issue based project development and
implementation at national, State/territory, regional, and local
levels; development of models of best practice in project
development for people with disabilities (including models of
inclusive training and education packages etc); publishing of
Project Reports; advocacy stemming from Project recommendations
and outcomes; production of Disability Project Management
Guidelines; etc.
Addressing the issue of empowerment and women with
disabilities, both individually and collectively
This can include provision of opportunities for women with disabilities to
come together in groups; share experiences; share information;
develop relationships; organise around issues or problems that
are unique to them; provide support to one another; and develop
social networks and alliances (such processes assist women with
disabilities to improve their self-esteem, increase self
confidence, and develop new knowledge and skills); creating
opportunities for, and supporting women with disabilities in
leadership and mentoring roles; creating and facilitating
opportunities for women with disabilities to develop the
confidence and skills to take up representation activities and
positions within their local communities and at state, national
and international levels; provision of information, knowledge,
resources and analytical skills on how bureaucratic and political
structures function, as well as provide an entry point into the
political decision-making processes.
Quality Improvement
This includes self-assessment of
performance utilising the Community Health and Primary Health
Care Accreditation Standards Program (as there are no specific
Practice Standards in Australia for national charitable
organisations; national advocacy organisations; national
disability organisations; or national women's organisations).
Other quality improvement processes include: strategic planning;
program and project evaluation; development of, and reporting
against performance measurers and indicators; random surveys of
member satisfaction; development and implementation of mechanisms
to enable feedback from members and other stakeholders, such as
electronic based discussion group; website feedback form;
Newsletter Evaluation form; and so on.
Here are just some suggestions for how YOU can help Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA).
You can help Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) by:
This site was developed by Carolyn Frohmader for Women With Disabilities Australia.
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