UN initiates project for women with disabilities

Islamabad: In a bid to empower (Women with Disabilities (WWD) the UN Women Pakistan, a United Nations organisation, has initiated a two-year project in collaboration with International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UN Volunteers (UNV) to increase their reorganisation in the society.

Talking to APP, an official of UN Women Pakistan said the pilot project will work closely with the government bodies, civil society, industry, corporate and private sector, potential employers, academia, and technical and vocational training institutions to make efforts for increased accessibility of work places to WWDs in terms of physical access, capacity building, entrepreneurship opportunities.

We will also be working on addressing the behavioural and social barriers and stigmas attached to WWDs that hinder their equal opportunities and participation, she said. She said they will try to increase the capacity of Disable Persons Organisations (DPOs) to help them generate evidence and engage in protecting the rights and support delivery of services for PWDs at provincial and national levels.

The initiative will specifically focus on creating awareness and linkages with relevant institutions, generating access to services and support, she said. She said an implementing partner agreement for this initiative Moving from Charity Model to Rights Based Work Delivering as One for Empowerment of Women with Disabilities (WWDs) had also been signed by UN Women Country Representative Jamshed Kazi and Handicap International Programme Director Angelina Robinson.

She said understanding the massive needs of excluded populations in Pakistan, including people with disabilities and specially women with disabilities, Handicap International is long aware that change cannot be brought on by just a single organisation working in silo, it can only be done collectively.

Therefore, we are today entering into this partnership to work together with UN Women on an integrated and meaningful approach for making Pakistan a better place for women with disabilities, she said.