Resources search

Disability Royal Commission: WWDA’s Response to Group Homes Issues Paper

SANDS, Therese
July 2020

Expand view

In 2020 the Disability Royal Commission released an issues paper on group homes. The issues paper asked 10 questions based on some of the key issues and barriers experienced by people with disability living in Group Homes.

This is Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) response to the issues paper which highlights key recommendations to improve the lives and experiences of people with disability living in group homes. The recommendations stem from the following key areas:

  • Living independently and being in the community
  • Intersectionality
  • Ableism, segregation and violence
  • Exposing and responding to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation

Disability Royal Commission: WWDA’s response to education and learning issues paper

SANDS, Therese
April 2020

Expand view

In 2019 the Disability Royal Commission released an issues paper on education and learning. The issues paper asked 13 questions based on some of the key issues and barriers experienced by students with disability.

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) have now submitted their response to the issues paper which highlights key recommendations to improve the lives and experiences of students with disability. The recommendations stem from the following key areas:

  • Inclusive education
  • Intersectionality
  • Inequality and discrimination underpin violence
  • Restrictive practices – torture and ill-treatment
  • Exposing violence – desegregated data and intersectionality
  • Building strengths through inclusive education

Coronavirus (COVID-19) translated resources

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AUSTRALIA (WDDA)
March 2020

Expand view

WWDA has produced an Easy English ‘What is Coronavirus‘ document for women or girls with a disabiliity to explain some key facts about COVID-19 in a simple way.

The document is available in 11 different languages (each as a PDF or Accessible Word DOC)

Human rights toolkit for women and girls with disabilities

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AUSTRALIA
December 2016

Expand view

HUMAN RIGHT TOOLKIT FOR WOMEN AND GIRL WITH DISABILITIES

 

International human rights law recognises women and girls with disability as women and girls with rights, able to make decisions about our own lives. The Australian government has agreed to take action to make sure all women and girls with disability enjoy all the human rights described in the Conventions, Treaties, Covenants and Declarations it has agreed to or supported. Yet, very few of us know about our rights. Importantly, very few of us know how they are relevant to our life, and the lives of our families, friends, and communities. Learning about our human rights – what they are and how to have our rights respected – is important to achieve positive and lasting change for all women and girls with disability. We need to take action, individually and together, so that all of us can demand and enjoy our human rights.

If you are a woman or girl with disability and would like to learn more about your human rights and how they can be used to achieve change in your life or the lives of other women and girls with disability, this Toolkit is for you.

WWDA Position Statements

Explore WWDA’s Position Statements on the priority issues that women and girls with disability have told us are most important to them. Position statements include: violence; decision-making; participation; and, sexual and reproductive rights.

WWDA Human Rights Toolkit

Explore and download WWDA’s Human Rights Toolkit for Women and Girls with Disability, including resources for leading change.

WWDA Human Rights Videos

What do human rights mean to you? We asked some of our members to talk about what human rights mean to them, and about their views on the key human rights issues facing women and girls with disability.

Graphics & Media

WWDA developed a series of infographics for distribution across social media to promote the WWDA Human Rights Toolkit and Position Statements. Download graphics and share from here.

 

Human rights toolkit for women and girls with disabilities. First edition.

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
October 2016

Expand view

A Toolkit for women or girls with disabilities to learn more about human rights and how this knowledge can be used to achieve change in their own lives or the lives of others. Following an introduction about why this Toolkit is needed,  a brief overview of five key human rights issues that women and girls with disability in Australia have identified as most important to them is provided. Section 3 provides information about what human rights are and also gives a brief overview about Australia’s international human rights obligations. Sections 4 and 5 focus on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), examining the main ‘Article’ from each, that deals with the important urgent issues that have been identified by women with disability in Australia, which are: Violence; Decision-Making; Participation; Sexual and Reproductive Rights; and, Employment. For each of these issues, the words of the main Article (as it appears in the CRPD and CEDAW) are provided and explained in practical terms, and examples are given of what governments have to know and do. Information from WWDA members and supporters about some of the key changes which need to happen is given. Different ideas of what women and girls with disability can do to help achieve change and promote the rights of all women and girls with disability are given and some sample letters and ‘talking points’ for phone calls to a local Member of Parliament, or a government Minister or advisers are provided.   

The sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls with disabilities

FROHMADER, Carolyn
ORTOLEVA, Stephanie
July 2013

Expand view

"This Briefing Paper examines the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls with disabilities in the context of the future development agenda Beyond 2014 and Post 2015"
Issues Paper
ICPD Human Rights Conference on Sexual and Reproductive Health The Hague, Netherlands
7-11 July 2013

Moving forward and gaining ground: the sterilisation of women and girls with disabilities in Australia

FROHMADER, Carolyn
June 2012

Expand view

This paper addresses the issue of forced sterilisation and reproductive right of women and girls with disability in Australia. "It discusses some of the critical issues in the consideration of forced sterilisation as a human rights issue, and looks at some of the key strategies WWDA has employed to advance our efforts to promote the sexual and reproductive rights of disabled women and girls, on an equal basis with other women and girls"
Available in pdf, word, large print text only and powerpoint presentation formats

Submission to the United Nations thematic study on violence against women with disabilities

FROHMADER, Carolyn
December 2011

Expand view

"In mid June 2011, at its 17th session, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a Resolution to accelerate efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women. The Resolution called for a study to be conducted on the issue of violence against women and girls and disabilities, with the report of the study to be presented to the 20th session of the Human Rights Council in 2012. WWDA's Submission to the preparation phase of the UN Analytical Study on Violence Against Women and Girls with Disabilities, provides an overview of the legislation, regulatory frameworks, policy, administrative procedures, services and support available within Australia to prevent and address violence against women and girls with disabilities. It provides detailed information under the following themes: data and statistics; legislation and policies; prevention and protection; prosecution and punishment, and recovery, rehabilitation and social integration"

Sterilization of women and girls with disabilities : a briefing paper

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AUSTRALIA (WWDA)
et al
November 2011

Expand view

The paper gives a background to the issue of forced sterilisation, outlines various international human rights standards that prohibit forced sterilisation, and offers several recommendations for improving laws, policies, and professional guidelines governing sterilisation practices. It is useful for anyone interested in the sterilization of women and girls with disabilities

Assessing the situation of women with disabilities in Australia : a human rights approach

Rosny Park, Tasmania
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
July 2011

Expand view

This paper uses a human rights framework to document the range of data, research and information needed in order to give a comprehensive assessment of the situation of women with disabilities in Australia. The paper provides "an overview of the intersection of gender and disability, as well as a brief background to the human rights imperative. Using key articles from the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the paper then prescribes the key quantitative and qualitative data and research required under each article, and links this to Australia’s international human rights obligations and domestic policy context"

Women with disabilities and the human right to health : a policy paper

FROHMADER, Carolyn
May 2010

Expand view

This policy paper examines women with disabilities' right to health in Australia. Given the context of three key human rights conventions, the paper highlights the ways in which women and girls with disabilities in Australia are denied their right to health and provides an overview of policy initiatives required to address the structural, socioeconomic and cultural barriers. The paper concludes with strategy suggestions for the Australian Government. This document would be useful for people interested in women with disabilities' right to health in Australia

Recognition, respect and rights: disabled women in a globalised world

MEEKOSHA, Helen
FROMAHDER, Carolyn
2010

Expand view

Following a statistically rich overview of the position of disabled women and girls globally, the position of disabled women and girls in Australia is reported. The human rights violations of disabled women in the context of violence, sterilisation and, motherhood and parenting are discussed. The history, evolution and current structure of the Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA) organisation are described. Some of the challenges and successes of WWDA are also described including: dealing with authorities; negotiating the local, the national and the global; using the new communication technologies; and forming strategic alliances.

Women with disabilities Australia : submission to inform the development of the framework for the new national women's health policy

FROHMADER, Carolyn
SWIFT, Karin
August 2009

Expand view

"This Submission focuses predominantly on the Framework for the new National Women’s Health Policy, in the context of human rights and women with disabilities. It examines what is meant by the ‘right to health’ and looks at women with disabilities’ right to health under the relevant international human rights treaties to which Australia is a party"

Forgotten sisters : recognising and responding to domestic violence in the lives of women with disabilities

DOWSE, Leanne
PARKINSON, Annie
November 2007

Expand view

This report outlines the lack of recognition of disabled women in Australia. It highlights the lack of support services for disabled women faced with domestic violence and how services can better respond to their needs
Domestic Violence, Disability and Cultural Safety National Forum 2007 "Diverse and Inclusive Practice: Redrawing the Boundaries"
Brighton-Le-Sands, NSW, Australia
8-9 Nov 2007

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)

WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AUSTRALIA (WWDA)

Expand view

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is an organisation for women with all types of disabilities in Australia that aims to increase awareness of, and address issues faced by, women with disabilities in the community. This website contains information about the organisation policies, reports and publications, stories and poems, and links to WWDA’s newsletter and email forum. A section is also highlighted for resources relating to specific gender and disability issues. This website is useful for people interested in women with disabilities

E-bulletin