My name’s Dieynaba Diallo. I’m 53, and I live in Senegal. I have a motor disability and I coordinate the Thiès branch of the pan-African Women in Law and Development in Africa organization, a partner of Humanity & Inclusion.

I have a disability because I caught polio when I was 7 years old. Back then, people with disabilities, especially little girls, were treated as objects of pity. My mother fought hard for me. She insisted I go to school. It had an enormous impact on my life.

I gained confidence at school. I always felt that I needed to do better than the others. When I challenged myself, it wasn’t as someone with disabilities. I measured myself against what children without disabilities were or weren’t capable of. Back then, people believed only boys could excel and succeed. To stand my ground, I competed with them for the best marks and to be top of the class.

I always felt I should use my position as a woman with disabilities differently. I wanted people to know I was more than my disability. I wanted to show them I had abilities despite my disability.

During my career, I worked in a human rights NGO, raising awareness on women's rights. I also worked at the African Network for Integrated Development, which provides legal and judicial support, and at a shelter for victims of violence. Training is my vocation. Some things resonate with me, and I always want to give my input. This means you have to be able and knowledgeable enough in different fields. It’s a challenge and I’m determined to rise to it. This is why I have seized every opportunity to educate myself throughout my life.

Systemic violence against women with disabilities

I’ve seen cases of physical violence, and some of it was dreadful. I recently helped a woman file a complaint against her father-in-law. Before beating her, he removed her artificial legs so she couldn’t move or escape. This is a good example of violence against women with disabilities: had she been able to use her legs, she could perhaps have run away.

Some women also suffer sexual or psychological abuse. Medical professionals also commit acts of violence against women with disabilities. These women have rights: the right to motherhood, for example, and the right to a consultation. They must be welcomed with respect and dignity by hospital staff. We had to raise their awareness and show them why they were part of this systemic abuse.

Women with disabilities must be able to exercise all their rights, especially their right to health and economic empowerment.

If someone abuses you but you are financially independent, you are protected to a certain extent. One woman with disabilities told her me her child was beaten at home, but she couldn’t do anything about it because she was frightened that she would be thrown out and she didn’t have anywhere else to go. Imagine what she had to go through because she couldn’t cope financially. This has to stop.

When I started working for a human rights NGO, I raised women’s awareness of their rights. Because I didn’t earn enough to make ends meet, I used to resell products I’d bought in Gambia. It wasn’t easy, the road was pretty bad, it could be dangerous, but it never crossed my mind to give up.

I felt I couldn’t allow myself to do it: as a woman with disabilities, if I gave up, they would have stopped me making something of my life. Financial empowerment really makes a difference to a person.

A rights-based approach

All we want from partner organizations like Humanity & Inclusion is to share the fight with us. To fight by our side against injustice and build an inclusive society that advocates a rights-based approach and makes it possible for everyone to live in dignity.

We need to adjust to reality and diversify our activities. What we really need now are sustainable businesses that create jobs and generate income. Businesses owned by women with disabilities. Women with disabilities have the ideas, the courage, and they think big—they just lack the means.

I joined all sorts of organizations early on, and this commitment really shaped who I am. My main priority is the rights of people with disabilities and women with disabilities—in Senegal, internationally and on decision-making bodies. Other women have other outlets to talk about their problems; these conversations are closed to women with disabilities. I want to help my sisters, talk with them and tell them that no one can fight this battle for us. We and only we can see it through. Together, we will win this fight.

I am driven by the challenges still ahead of us. We must meet them together.

One day, in a meeting, one of my sisters said to me: “I want to be Dieynaba Diallo.” I replied: I’m relieved to hear that! Because when people see me today, they don’t dare commit injustices. But others still suffer these injustices. This is why my mission is to make every woman with disabilities a Dieynaba Diallo—a woman who knows how to say no when she has to.

In Senegal, Humanity & Inclusion works with partner associations, supporting them to increase their visibility and improve their impact on the reduction of gender-based violence, the empowerment of women and girls and gender equality. The Making it Work - Gender and Disability project, implemented in Senegal since March 2021, is working alongside women and girls with disabilities to support lasting change to fight gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities. The aim is to support the efforts of women with disabilities who are leaders in the fight against gender-based violence and enable partner organizations to increase their impact.

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I’m Oumou Khayri Diop. I’m 27 years old and I live in Senegal. I’m general secretary of the Association Handicap Form Educ, a partner of Humanity & Inclusion. I’m a carrier of voices: I denounce the problems and advocate for the rights of women with disabilities.  

I had a difficult childhood because I lost the use of my legs when I was just 10 years old after an illness that completely changed my life. It wasn’t easy adapting to my new life and coming to terms with the changes. Fortunately, my parents didn’t give up on me: they did everything they could to see me walk again one day.

I almost quit my studies, but with the help of my parents, my friends and my teachers, I found the motivation to carry on. I was a brilliant student, always the top of my class. But then I was sent to a high school where the classes were held on the upper floors, and accessibility was a real problem.

My parents enrolled me in a private high school so that could continue my studies. I had to go miles in my wheelchair every day to get there.

A year later, I lost my mother. That was a terrible shock for me. Her words of comfort, advice and love were what had motivated me and driven me to keep studying. But I passed my school-leaving certificate and went on several training programs. Today, I am an accountant and retailer, and I have qualifications in project management, electronics and mobile phone repair, and office automation.

I’m young and disabled. We women with disabilities suffer more violence than other women, but people overlook us. So, I decided to commit to this cause.

I’m involved in several associations. I’m general secretary of Association Handicap Form Educ, for example, which is a partner of Humanity & Inclusion, and president of the women's association in my neighborhood.

I’m also the treasurer of a young leaders’ group that I created after attending a training course in Dakar, where I learned lessons that I wanted to share. With a friend of my mine who has visual disabilities, we set out to identify all the young disabled people in Senegal, whatever their disability. There are now 100 of us in the group.

Motivation drives change

If things are to move forward, there has to be a change in mentalities, an end to certain customs and to discrimination. Here, men have more power than women. Men think that women’s place is in the home. They should be looking after the children, and cooking and cleaning. The important decisions are always taken by men, whether at home or at work.

Fortunately, things are changing. In the past, we didn’t dare fight for certain causes, such as an end to gender-based violence. We didn’t dare speak out on certain issues in the media, apply for certain jobs, study beyond a certain level or even travel. Now we see women graduates holding very important positions. There are programs in the media with women journalists publicly denouncing these same issues. Women travel all over the world, create jobs, are advisers, members of parliament, and so on.

I see some very committed, motivated women. They promote causes, create groups to develop their activity and organize themselves to get the training they need.

We must keep raising awareness, take part in radio and television programs, hold talks in schools and neighborhoods, at women's meetings and maybe even men's meetings.

We look to our partners for long-term support. We want Humanity & Inclusion to accompany us in our projects, through training, job creation—anything that will improve our lives. We have some very important projects, but we lack the means to implement them. We also need Humanity & Inclusion to carry our voices to places where people can’t hear us.

Humanity & Inclusion should also go to the most remote villages in Senegal to help women with disabilities who lack the means and tools to communicate. These are very committed women, fighters. Women who want to show what they're made of.

To all women, I send the following message: believe in yourselves! We are mothers, sisters, and the world can’t develop without us. Let’s join hands and denounce all the injustices that are holding us back in life. We must all believe that change is in our own hands. We can’t let ourselves be dragged down. We must denounce injustice with all the means at our disposal. If we establish this momentum, then we will be buoyed up by a new mentality and I think the fight will be easier for all of us.

We, women with disabilities, are the voice of mothers, women, disabled people, citizens – we are the voice of leaders.

In Senegal, Humanity & Inclusion works with partner associations, supporting them to increase their visibility and improve their impact on the reduction of gender-based violence, the empowerment of women and girls and gender equality. The Making it Work - Gender and Disability project, implemented in Senegal since March 2021, is working alongside women and girls with disabilities to support lasting change to fight gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities. The aim is to support the efforts of women with disabilities who are leaders in the fight against gender-based violence and enable partner organizations to increase their impact.

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My name is Khadidiatou Ba, and I am president of the Women’s Committee of the Federation of Associations of Persons with Disabilities in Senegal. We have a long history of working with Humanity & Inclusion in the field.

I am a specialist in disability rights since completing an international training program on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I’m engaged in all activities concerning people with disabilities.

Due to economic violence, women with disabilities are often poor. Economic violence is when you can’t go to school because of barriers to access, and then you can’t find work because you have no qualifications. It is when a whole system fails to prepare you. I encountered accessibility problems myself during my studies. To start with, my mother didn’t really want me to go to school; she was worried that I’d fall over in the street. Because of my disability, I walked with crutches. Later, accessibility issues prevented me from attending Cheikh-Anta-Diop University in Dakar.

An ideal society is an inclusive and violence-free society that leaves no one behind.

A country’s development is measured by what is happening at the bottom of the ladder. If Senegal or any other country leaves people with disabilities to beg in the street, then it is not developed.

Uplifting women with disabilities

Women with disabilities are very active in our associations. Yet they are often absent from the decision-making table. This is why we are pursuing our awareness-raising activities: to become part of the decision-making process and run the associations ourselves. But it’s a slow process.

I think that women – with and without disabilities – should join political movements. If we were involved in politics and were members of the decision-making bodies, no one could speak in our stead. Today, we must ensure that inclusion is a priority in all policies. In the past, the approach was charity-based; today, it is rights-based calling for policy measures.

We need this because we are at a point where people with disabilities must advocate for themselves and speak out about their problems so as not to be overlooked.

For my part, I am an active member of an opposition political party. Thanks to my background and achievements, I now represent the women of this party nationally. This is a source of pride for me and I also see it is an example for my peers to follow.

A synergy of causes

Where women without disabilities suffer violence, we suffer twice as much: verbal, economic and sexual violence. Women without disabilities must adopt inclusion and support us. I often say that to win a fight, we need synergy of action with all the other organizations. This is how we obtained parity and the criminalization of sexual assault.

We have to be willing to denounce violence because there are many taboos in Africa and some things are never mentioned. When a close relative sexually assaults a disabled person, nobody talks about it. Society needs to change its mentality with regard to violence against women. We need more promotion of legislation, more advocacy, to bring about change in these practices.

The role of partner associations like Humanity & Inclusion is to support us in this fight. We have a long history with Humanity & Inclusion. Ever since I joined the disability movement, Humanity & Inclusion has been on the ground working alongside us. Its role is to accompany organizations of persons with disabilities and accompany disabled women who are victims of violence. Support them, train them and equip them.

I draw strength from knowing that the next generation is waiting in the wings. We know that as long as the world exists, there will be violence.  So, we must never give up the fight. We must train young women with disabilities so that we leave activists behind us who are truly capable of advocating for change.

I want to encourage girls, especially girls with disabilities, to find mentors among disabled women. There are many women with disabilities who are examples to follow.

In Senegal, Humanity & Inclusion works with partner associations, supporting them to increase their visibility and improve their impact on the reduction of gender-based violence, the empowerment of women and girls and gender equality. The Making it Work - Gender and Disability project, implemented in Senegal since March 2021, is working alongside women and girls with disabilities to support lasting change to fight gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities. The aim is to support the efforts of women with disabilities who are leaders in the fight against gender-based violence and enable partner organizations to increase their impact.

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My name’s Awa Siré Touré. I’m 59 and I live in Ziguinchor, Senegal. I’ve been disabled for 20 years. With help from Humanity & Inclusion, I fight for the empowerment of women with disabilities.

I’ve been aware of disability issues since I was young because one of my friends had a disability. When I began to have leg problems, I became one of those women with disabilities. Living with other women with disabilities, seeing their pain, listening to what they had to say — that’s when I really decided to do something about it. I work as a deputy general secretary at La Brigade de Conscientisation, an organization that takes action on violence against women in Ziguinchor, in partnership with Humanity & Inclusion. Women come to see us, and we help to solve their problems.

I’m trying to change things. I want these women to be self-reliant. If a woman needs me, I can train and help her.

I overcame my disability. I told myself it wasn’t an obstacle; it was just a disability.

I earn my living making soaps and oils, and I’ve trained a lot of women to do the same. I showed them how to extract coconut oil, make soaps and sell them to earn their own money. When they needed something before, many women with disabilities said they had to turn to men for help. They were asked to give sexual favors in exchange for a few crumbs. When I heard about that, it was too much for me; I knew I had to do something to stop it. This is why we help women to be self-reliant and to earn their own living so they take back control of their lives.

A lot of women with and without disabilities still ask me for help. I’m always ready to assist them.

Giving women courage

Women with disabilities were really ignored in the past. Being self-reliant gives them the means to be bold and say “no, you cannot force me to do this.” There are women with disabilities today who, when someone mistreats them, dare to speak out so the public hears about it.

This is all down to our advocacy with the authorities and our awareness-raising activities. We explain that women with disabilities need a voice in policy-making forums and have the right to be heard.

We need to give women with disabilities courage. We need to train them so they can defend themselves in society. We can do this through training and intensive awareness-raising. When we raise the awareness of young women, they realize they are people in their own right, and we give them the courage to defend themselves.

Helping each other

These obstacles are exhausting, they slow us down, but we’re still here and we’re still fighting!

We’re making a difference. Women with disabilities never used to want to marry; they were frightened their in-laws would treat them badly. Now I see women with disabilities getting married and having children — and they don’t care what their in-laws say! They come to us, get involved, and do like everyone else.

Humanity & Inclusion has always provided support to women with disabilities, especially here in Ziguinchor. They fit them with artificial limbs so they can walk and go about their business. Humanity & Inclusion put us in touch with the regional hospital, and many women with disabilities have been fitted with orthopedic devices. We hope the organization continues to provide support and assistance to women with disabilities.

Here, in Casamance, we live in a combat zone. The fighting went on for years and there were lots of casualties. Women were sexually assaulted in their fields and maimed by mines. I’m asking the people who do bad things to stop. Let women finally live in peace.

Let’s work together against mistreatment and find positive men to support our fight. I say “No!” to violence against women, especially women with disabilities.

In Senegal, Humanity & Inclusion works with partner associations, supporting them to increase their visibility and improve their impact on the reduction of gender-based violence, the empowerment of women and girls and gender equality. The Making it Work - Gender and Disability project, implemented in Senegal since March 2021, is working alongside women and girls with disabilities to support lasting change to fight gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities. The aim is to support the efforts of women with disabilities who are leaders in the fight against gender-based violence and enable partner organizations to increase their impact.

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Violence against women is an international problem, with devastating consequences. In Bolivia, Humanity & Inclusion works alongside communities to reduce risks and protect women with disabilities.

Content warning: Physical and sexual abuse; domestic violence

One in three women experiences physical or sexual violence within their lifetime. Additional factors such as inequality, poverty, crisis, and disability further increase the risk of violence to women and girls worldwide.

Often targeted due to mobility limitations, dependency on others, or barriers to reporting abuse, women and girls with disabilities experience significantly higher rates of violence than those without disabilities. They are also subjected to abuse for longer periods of time, with fewer resources available.  

“Violence against women with disabilities is a reality,” says Lidia Pereira, Humanity & Inclusion’s Economic Insertion Project Manager in Bolivia. “But it is not always visible. Violence prevention services do not necessarily have knowledge surrounding disability, so access to information and care is limited for them.”

Gender-Based Violence in Bolivia

Bolivia is no exception to this epidemic. The country has the highest number of teenage pregnancies in Latin America, often linked cases of sexual abuse. More than half (52.3%) of women report having experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, but only 1% of all gender-based violence cases are prosecuted and convicted.

In Bolivia, women with disabilities are 10 times more likely to experience sexual violence than women without disabilities. Seven out of 10 women with disabilities report having been subjected to violence within their families, and half of those reported being survivors of sexual violence. It is estimated that only a small percentage of cases are reported, given that many women and girls with disabilities are in situations of dependency.

Protecting and Empowering Women

Humanity & Inclusion takes a community-based inclusive approach to prevent violence against women through its projects in Bolivia. Alongside the Gregoria Apaza Women’s Promotion Center and the Institute of Socioeconomic Research of the Universidad Catolica San Pablo, Humanity & Inclusion works to ensure that women with and without disabilities can demand, advocate for, and exercise their rights.

Humanity & Inclusion tackles factors that increase risk of violence by:

• Educating women and girls about their sexual and reproductive health. Humanity & Inclusion has developed and published accessible, inclusive guides and materials for women, girls and caregivers.
• Strengthening financial resilience. Humanity & Inclusion works to improve inclusive access to training and job placement to enable women with disabilities to gain financial independence and autonomy.
• Promoting women’s rights. Humanity & Inclusion develops material and trainings to raise awareness about women’s right to live free of violence and access comprehensive education.
• Strengthening community resources for violence prevention and care. Humanity & Inclusion works to include the needs and participation of women, including women with disabilities, in response plans. Teams identify and share accessible gender-based-violence resources.

Training Community Leaders

Women participate in training sessions as community leaders to gain knowledge and confidence to exercise their rights.

One participant shared that her role as leader of a local women’s group resulted in her experiencing domestic violence at home. After reporting her case to the authorities, she said that participating in Humanity & Inclusion’s sessions has allowed her to feel “safe and content” with her decision to denounce her aggressor.

“With this proposal developed by Humanity & Inclusion and its partners, women with and without disabilities can have the tools to prevent, inform and support other women in situations of violence, promoting a life free of violence for all women,” Pereira explains.

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Violence affects one in three women in their lifetime. Globally, women with disabilities are ten times more likely to experience sexual violence. Over the next three weeks, Humanity & Inclusion will address the violence against women with disabilities at the 71st session of the Committee[1] on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, organized by the United Nations in Geneva from October 22 through November 9.

25 years of work

Humanity & Inclusion implements projects to address violence in six countries around the world[2] by raising women's awareness of their rights and helping them build self-reliance. In Rwanda, HI provides psychological support to victims of physical and sexual violence, including women, and organizes discussion groups. In Rwanda, Burundi, and Kenya, our team works to combat sexual violence against children, including children with disabilities, who are three to four times more likely to be at risk of violence.

Making it Work

HI launched the Making it Work Gender and Disability project to promote good practices in order to eliminate violence against women and girls with disabilities. The aim is to ensure that women's voices are heard and that the risks they face (violence, abuse, and exploitation) are taken into account in the projects implemented by other organizations in the fields of humanitarian action, human rights, feminism, and gender-based violence.

Publications

Gender and disability intersectionality in practice: Women and girls with disabilities addressing discrimination and violence in Africa

In June 2018, Humanity & Inclusion's Making it Work project published the report, “Gender and disability intersectionality in practice: Women and girls with disabilities addressing discrimination and violence in Africa,” which presents nine best practices for women’s organizations in six African countries. Women leaders with disabilities presented the report at the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in New York. 

Protection Against Violence Based on Disability, Gender, Age (2018)

Humanity & Inclusion works to prevent violence based on disability, gender and age and its disabling consequences in development and fragile settings, as well as to provide holistic care for survivors of violence, exploitation and abuse. HI’s goal is to ensure that people with disabilities and other at-risk groups are less exposed to violence and can live in dignity, independently, and with control over their own lives. View the flier here.

[1]This committee is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

[2] Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.