Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is the peak organisation for women with all types of
disabilities in Australia. It is a not-for-profit organisation constituted and driven by 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 is unique, in that it operates as a national disability organisation; a national women's
organisation; and a national human rights organisation (more information about WWDA can be found
at the organisation's extensive website: www.wwda.org.au). Please find below a brief Update Report on some of WWDA's
activities for the month of November 2003. If you have any questions,
or would like more information on anything in this report, please email Carolyn at: wwda@wwda.org.au
Return to the Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) Newsletters Page
1. Australian Research Council Project Proposal
WWDA has joined with the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS),
University of New South Wales (UNSW), University of Queensland, and the
Disability Studies and Research Institute of Australia to seek funding
from the Australian Research Council to undertake a national project on
disability and the media. The project 'Disability in the Media: Exploring a Decade of Change in
Search of Best Practice' explores the changes in the way the media have responded to
disabled people and disability issues in the decade since the implementation of the
Disability Discrimination Act. 1992. Drawing on media data bases from the early and
mid-1990s, and using current material, a typology of media representation
of disability will be developed. This typology will be used to
examine case studies selected by experts in different media that
demonstrate best current practice. A website will be produced to
report the outcomes and form the basis for the development of media industry best-practice projects.
2. Conference Presentations
2.1. Australian Council Of Social Service (Acoss) National Congress
WWDA's President, Samantha Jenkinson, attended the ACOSS National Congress in
November. Samantha conducted a Workshop on behalf of the national disability
peak bodies which make up the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO).
The Workshop examined the issues around 'Welfare to Work' as it affects people with
disabilities. The Workshop not only provided a historical perspective on the needs of
people with disabilities in relation to income support and employment assistance,
but also examined the barriers (particularly the structural barriers) people
with disabilities face in accessing employment.
2.2. Acrod National Convention
Ms Samantha Salvaneschi, a member of WWDA's Management Committee,
represented WWDA at the ACROD Convention and participated in a panel
discussion 'The Next Big Thing'. This presentation was to consider what
initiative is most needed today to advance the interests of Australians
with Disabilities. Samantha's presentation on the panel was around the
need for a United Nations Convention on the Protection and Promotion of
the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. The Commonwealth
of Australia has been one of the very few United Nations (UN) members
to express reluctance for supporting the development of a UN convention
on disability rights. However, Australian non-government organisations
for the rights of people with disabilities have been overwhelmingly
supportive of a convention, on the basis that it will enshrine a
social model of disability and formal legal protections against
arrangements that nation-states make which detract from the
substantive citizenship of people with disabilities. A Paper
prepared by Samantha on the issue will be made available
on the WWDA website in coming weeks.
2.3. Diversity In Health Conference
Helen Meekosha represented WWDA at the Diversity in Health Conference
held at Darling Harbour, Sydney. Helen presented a paper on behalf of
WWDA, entitled: "Diversity and Creativity in Health and Wellbeing".
3. Disability Studies Research Institute Of Australia (Dsari)
The Disability Studies and Research Institute (DSaRI) was
established in early 2002. DSaRI undertakes research into
disability issues from a social perspective, and promotes
community debate associated with the rights of disabled
people. The Institute involves stakeholders from organisations
of people with disabilities, universities, the research
community, service delivery bodies and industry. It aims
for a wider understanding of the social causes and
responses to processes that disable people with impairments,
and promotes their participation in the social, economic,
cultural and political life of the nation. WWDA is a founding
member of DSaRI, and in early 2002, WWDA donated $1,000 to
DSaRI to assist in its establishment. The DSARI AGM was
held in early November 2003. A WWDA member, Dr Kate List,
was nominated, and elected to the DSARI Board.
For more information on DSARI, go to the website at: http/www.dsari.org.au/
4. National Secretariat Program (Nsp) Review
During November, WWDA participated in the Review of the National Secretariat Program (NSP).
The role of the National Secretariat Program (Department of Family & Community Services)
is essentially to contribute to the development and implementation of Government
policies affecting Australian families and communities, and to act as a two way
conduit between the Government and the community on social policy issues. It
achieves this by providing operational funding to a number of national peak
bodies within the community and family services sector (including those
which represent welfare, disability, family, homelessness and children's services).
Implicit in the financial support to these national peak bodies is the understanding
and expectation that the peaks will contribute to the development of Government
policies, and act as a two-way conduit between the community and Government on
social policy issues.WWDA participated in an interview with representatives from the
NSP, and also provided a written submission to the Review. WWDA's submission
covered issues such as the need for simplification of funding contracts and
more streamlined reporting processes. WWDA also recommended that peak bodies
funded under the NSP be funded on a triennial basis as opposed to the current
arrangements of one year funding cycles. Issues such as the rise in operational
costs and the need for increased resources were also raised by WWDA in its
submission to the Review.
If anyone would like a copy of WWDA's submission to the NSP Review, please email WWDA at:
wwda@wwda.org.au
5. Submission To The National Evaluation Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (Saap Iv)
SAAP is a support program assisting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, through a
range of support and supported accommodation services. It is an important part of Australia's
overall response to homelessness and of the broader social safety net designed to prevent disadvantage
in the community. The overall aim of SAAP, as set down in the Supported Accommodation Assistance Act,
is to provide transitional supported accommodation and a range of related support services, in order to
help people who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness to achieve the maximum possible degree of
self-reliance and independence. Within this aim the goals are to: resolve crisis; re-establish family
links where appropriate; and, re-establish the capacity of clients to live independently of SAAP.
SAAP IV contains four strategic themes which have been committed to by the Commonwealth and all States and Territories:
- client-focused service delivery - which includes testing new and flexible service delivery models, enhancing and promoting existing good practice, and strengthening client capacity to live independently of SAAP,
- integration and collaboration between SAAP and other service systems, - recognising the
complexity of factors affecting pathways to homelessness, and the need to establish links with other human service delivery agencies,
- increasing performance, knowledge and skills, to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of service for clients, and
- working together, so that the Commonwealth and the States and Territories will work in
partnership with communities to enhance the capacity for SAAP to respond to homelessness.
SAAP IV is currently being evaluated. The purpose of the evaluation is to examine the progress and effectiveness of
SAAP IV and to advise on the future directions of the program. Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) has developed a
submission to the National Evaluation Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP IV). Housing situations are
precarious for many women with disabilities. A decline in the supply of low cost housing, an increase
in unemployment and the level of poverty, and changes in the service delivery policies of specialist
services, have increased the risk of homelessness for many Australians. The impact of these changes
is even greater on the more vulnerable among the homeless, most notably, women with disabilities.
There are a range of factors which make women with disabilities the most vulnerable group to
homelessness or risk of homelessness in our society.
WWDA's submission will soon be made available on WWDA's website. If anyone would like a copy
of the submission, please email WWDA at: wwda@wwda.org.au
6. Submission To The Reichstein Foundation
WWDA has submitted a funding submission to the Reichstein Foundation.
The Reichstein Foundation funds projects which effect structural change to benefit
disadvantaged communities. Projects designed to challenge and change systems (such as policies, laws and practices)
are a priority. Reichstein Foundation is not a charity but a philanthropic foundation committed to systemic advocacy.
The Foundation works in partnership with community organisations to improve, maintain or restore human rights and social justice.
WWDA has requested funds from the Reichstein Foundation to 'improve the status of women with disabilities through systemic
advocacy at a national level'. The main objective of the Project is to develop a range of systems, activities and processes that:
- provide informed and representative advice to government on women's policy development and implementation relevant to the
views and circumstances of women with disabilities;
- represent the views of women with disabilities through consultation with the WWDA constituency
and other groups and organisations relevant to women with disabilities' concerns;
- enable specific policy analysis on individual areas of organisational expertise and concern;
- contribute to WWDA's commitment to creating leadership opportunities for women with disabilities.
WWDA's submission has been shortlisted by the Reichstein Foundation and in late November, a
WWDA delegation met with staff of the Reichstein Foundation to further discuss WWDA's proposal.
A decision on the successful funding applicants will be made in mid December 2003.
7. Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission National Telecommunications Forum
Dr Sev Ozdowski, (Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner) recently commissioned a discussion paper
entitled "When the tide comes in: Towards accessible telecommunications for people with disabilities in Australia."
This paper explores trends in telecommunications technologies and services, and their impact on accessibility
for people with disabilities, having regard to the legislative background and regulatory framework in Australia.
It reviews the major issues for access to telecommunications services and equipment for people with disabilities,
recommending strategies for maximising access and minimising discrimination. One of the Recommendations
stemming from the Paper, was the call for HREOC to convene a high level forum to consider
the issues which the paper raised, with the aim of developing partnerships between
organisations in the telecommunications industry to address or continue to address those issues.
The National Telecommunications Forum was held at Parliament House in Canberra on 28 November.
Some of the key issues examined at the forum included:
- What are the key principles for an industry code on text telephony?
- Do we need an industry code on public payphones, and what should it contain?
- Do we need a mobile telecommunications action plan, what should it contain?
- Are groups who primarily rely on SMS communications disadvantaged by current pricing?
- What is the best means of including mobile phones in disability equipment programs?
- Do we need a more comprehensive telecommunications Disability Standard and if so what areas should it cover?
WWDA's delegate to the Forum was Ms Sue Salthouse, who is the Convenor of WWDA's Telecommunications
Working Party. WWDA is currently preparing a report from the National Telecommunications Forum,
which will be made available to members and will also be available from the WWDA Website.
8. Victorian Women With Disabilities Strategic Consumer Advocacy Project
The Women with Disabilities Advocacy Service (WDAS) will build on an existing
partnership between two statewide women's advocacy organisations - Women's Health
Victoria (WHV) and the Victorian Women with Disabilities Network (VWDN). The
current partnership is successfully implementing the Women with Disabilities
Strategic Consumer Advocacy Project. Over the next year this project is
working to identify and prioritise issues that require advocacy work for
women with disabilities and to scope current and potential activities to
meet these needs. The focus on women with disabilities recognises the
need for gender-specific advocacy. Women with disabilities have
significant needs that are not being adequately met by current
government policy, disability services, the advocacy sector or
community planning and services in general. Women's Health
Victoria (WHV) and the Victorian Women with Disabilities Network
(VWDN) are currently seeking funding from the Victorian Department
of Human Services to develop an innovative, comprehensive and
empowering statewide advocacy service for all women with disabilities
in Victoria, and to assist in implementing the outcomes of the current
WHV/VWDN project. For more information about this project, contact:
Sarah Waters, Project Officer, Ph 03 96623755 Fax 03 96637955.
Email: sarah.waters@whv.org.au
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This site was developed by Carolyn Frohmader for Women With Disabilities
Australia.