Humanity & Inclusion and partners work alongside women and girls to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in the Central African Republic.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is still one of the major protection issues in the Central African Republic. Despite the efforts made in recent years by the government and its technical and financial partners, as well as by humanitarian organizations, the challenges remain enormous. In 2021, 11,592 cases of GBV were reported, an increase of 26% compared to those reported in 2020 (9,216 cases).

With the help of the European Union and in consortium with multiple humanitarian partners, HI is working to improve the protection and reintegration of women, girls and people with specific needs who are vulnerable to GBV in the Central African Republic. 

The project, "Women and girls create the future: prevention and response to gender-based violence in the Central African Republic," aims to improve access to quality care and socio-economic reintegration in an environment where GBV is not tolerated and survivors are not stigmatized. It will also work to strengthen governance in the fight against GBV.

This project is implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in consortium with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), Humanity & Inclusion (HI), International Medical Corps (IMC) and more than a dozen national non-governmental organizations.

A strategy to fight back

The project implementation strategy is based on four axes:

1. The empowerment of local actors. The project will use organizational and technical capacity building to transfer skills to organizations. After implementing activities alongside them, HI will support them in implementing programs independently so that they can serve as an entry point for providing quality care to survivors.
2. Prioritizing the socio-economic empowerment of women and girls who are vulnerable to GBV. Allow for the creation of credit and self-financing opportunities for at-risk groups, with a focus on village savings and loan associations. This will be done in accordance with the national strategy to fight GBV, with an emphasis on the community-level groups.
3. Use structured community engagement. The project will use an activist approach known as “SASA”—start, awareness, support, action—to positively influence community power dynamics and mobilize members around gender-based violence prevention.
4. Consideration of inclusion of disability, age, and diversity. Inclusion is a cross-cutting priority of the consortium and inclusion activities will be mainstreamed in all activities with the support of HI and its national partners.

Key figures

In total, 130,494 women and girls who are survivors of GBV or who are vulnerable to GBV will benefit from quality, multi-sectoral and integrated case management services. Additionally:

• 63 support groups will be set up
• 50,694 people will be trained to contribute to the creation of a more protective environment
• 1,035 care providers and social workers will be trained as part of the skills transfer foreseen by the project
• 8,600 people will benefit from rapid economic support to meet immediate basic needs
• 4,042 people will benefit from training to support basic literacy
• 3,710 people will benefit from income-generating activities

My name’s Fama Ka. I’m the mayor of Mbour in Senegal. I’ve had a visual impairment since I was 13. I’m now 54. I have a long track record in fighting for women’s rights, particularly the rights of women with disabilities.

I am a women’s representative for several women’s and disabled people’s organizations. I’ve been involved in campaigning since 1990. I’ve represented Senegalese and African women with visual impairments in Kenya, Canada, Burkina Faso, Japan and Thailand. I am vice-chair of the Senegalese Federation of Disabled People’s Organizations and general secretary of the National Committee of Women with Disabilities.

I am also the treasurer of the Pikine organization of persons with disabilities and member of the drop-in center run by the organization for women with disabilities, one of Humanity & Inclusion’s partners. I listen to a lot of abused women. They share their experiences, their problems and their needs with me. This drop-in center has made an enormous difference and I’m proud I helped set it up.

Women didn’t have anywhere they could go to talk about their feelings or to share their problems. This center is a place where they can open up to their peers and talk about the difficulties they face.

Our fight is everyone’s fight

I was proud of being a girl and I am proud of being a woman. But women in our country suffer all sorts of abuse: psychological, verbal, physical, and so on. Especially women like us, with disabilities. We suffer abuse both as women and as people with disabilities.

Women with disabilities in Senegal are highly committed. They join organizations and form alliances with other women. They’re improving their lives because they’re seizing the opportunity to talk about their problems.

Their fight is now everyone’s fight—the fight of all women.

Society needs to advance our rights. It must fight alongside people with disabilities. Just as it advances the rights of children, it must take action and advance the rights of people with disabilities. We need to promote local and inclusive development and involve people with disabilities in managing communities. Fortunately, things are changing, and more attention is being paid to the problems facing women with disabilities. For example, as part of a job creation scheme, I’m currently training 15 young women with visual impairments to run their own businesses.

Developing my community

The role of our partner, Humanity & Inclusion, is to support people with disabilities in their struggle and to supply their projects with technical and financial assistance. Humanity & Inclusion has worked alongside women with disabilities for many years, including by helping to advance their rights and promote their inclusion in society and the workplace, and by funding their projects. Humanity & Inclusion has done a lot for people with disabilities, and this is something we welcome and value.

Things have changed. Many women with disabilities now help run society. They have a voice on decision-making bodies and can influence the way people behave.

What also drives me is the fact that I, as a visually impaired woman, have a role to play in society. I even train people without disabilities now because they have confidence in people with disabilities.

I am proud to be not only a woman but a woman with disabilities. Because this has not prevented me from helping my sisters or from helping develop my local community and country.

Fighting to advance our rights

I want to appeal to my sisters to continue combating violence against women and to advance our rights. The goal is to build a society where no one is excluded, where everyone has the same opportunities and privileges.

I work with young women with disabilities to prepare the next generation of campaigners. I have been fighting for people with disabilities for three decades; it is time to pass on my knowledge and skills. These young women with disabilities will continue the work I started so many years ago.

Just as others helped me become who I am, I will pass on what I know to the younger generation, so they continue the fight.

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 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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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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To mark International Women's Day on March 8, we talked to Reiza Dejito, a strong woman who is deeply committed to both her family and her role at Humanity & Inclusion. Currently serving as the Program Director for Nepal, India and Sri Lanka, Reiza has worked in numerous countries affected by humanitarian crises for two decades.

Why did you decide to join Humanity & Inclusion?

I graduated in science and physical therapy, and I earned diplomas in teaching and then management. I also completed several volunteer missions in the Philippines (my home country) and Ethiopia. And then, three months after leaving Ethiopia, I joined Humanity & Inclusion as a victim assistance project manager in Bor, South Sudan. Since then, I have worked in Kenya, Bangladesh, the Philippines and now Nepal.

Is there one experience that really stands out?

Working with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. They’ve suffered so much. One woman told me how she watched helpless as her husband was murdered and her house was burned down. A 9-year-old child, who was injured in the arm by a bullet after being caught in the crossfire, told me he’d forgiven the attacker for hitting the wrong target. Men, women and children walked for days and days to cross the border with little food and water. Awful. 

As a director in the Philippines, I joined the emergency team to help the victims of Super Typhoon Goni. I was extremely impressed by the resilience and generosity of Filipinos. And the commitment of my team and partner organizations to provide assistance to those who needed it most.

What’s the hardest part of your job?

As Program Director, I’m responsible for the security and protection of my teams and ensuring they are safe and sound, and in good health, especially during emergencies, crises and conflicts. In 2016, I had to manage the evacuation of Humanity & Inclusion’s teams in South Sudan following a series of deadly clashes between armed groups. It was the most trying experience of my career.

What's really important when it comes to working with your team?

Trust. Transparency. Empathy. And being able to laugh together.

Humanitarian and mother: how do you strike the right balance?

For many women, achieving this balance is a huge challenge and often prevents them from taking on more responsible positions. I’m extremely fortunate to have a supportive family and a husband who takes care of our child when I’m working. Thanks to their support, I can do the job I do. My family is my biggest incentive. They really inspire me to do better every day.

Is gender equity a challenge in the humanitarian sector?

I’ve been personally fortunate to work with male colleagues and team leaders who are advocates for women's leadership. But while many women work in the humanitarian sector, there are still too few in senior positions. Many organizations have made a lot of progress, but not enough. There is a great deal of work to do before we achieve greater equity. It’s not an easy task, because these inequalities run deep. They’ve been entrenched in cultural, social, financial and political life for generations. It’s not simply a question of empowering women and advancing their rights, but of changing corporate cultures. Men also have a role to play here. I want to see women access positions of responsibility just like men. I think we'll get there...slowly but surely.

Header image: A Filipino woman named Reiza (wearing the blue visor) and another woman carry a tub of supplies after Typhoon Goni in the Philippines. Copyright: HI

Inline image: Reiza squats down to talk with a girl who has an artificial leg at a refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya, in 2015. Copyright: Xavier Bourgois/HI

Women with disabilities are twice as likely to be victims of domestic violence as other women, according to the United Nations.