A key focus for the Margins to the Mainstream Project for 2023-4 will be to strengthen capacity among the 31 organisations  making up the Together For Equality and Respect (TFER) regional partnership for prevention of violence against women. Such capacity building work will seek to embed a focus on addressing intersecting sexism and abelism as underlying drivers of violence against women with disabilities. The projects below will focus on progressing this focus while centring the voices of women with disabilities across areas of partner’s work.

Together for Equality and Respect partner organisations consultation initiatives

The Together for Equality and Respect Partner consultation project will partner with  2 TFER organisations, to enable and support them in undertaking meaningful and ethical consultation with the Experts group.

The Margins to the Mainstream Project expert group will, as part of these consultations, provide lived experience expertise to successful TFER partners to enhance their programs, services, policies and/or practices in be more accessible, inclusive of women with disabilities, and to respond to sexism and ableism. The expression of Interest process closed on 1 September, 2023. Updates will be provided as the project progresses.

Workshops for women with disabilities

on advisory and other committees of TFER partners

Margins to the Mainstream will run up to 3 workshops over 2023-4 for women with disabilities involved in advisory or consumer committees with TFER partner organisations. The workshops will support women with disabilities to network with and learn from each other including M2M experts. This aims to increase the confidence  of women with disabilities in the region who have skills in communicating about their lived experience, sexism and ableism.  If you would like to be kept up to date about these workshops when they are planned, please send your email, name and (if relevant) your organisation to abishop@whe.org.au.

Key messages for equality for women with disabilities

The project Experts developed a set of 16 messages to prevent violence against women with disabilities by addressing sexism and ableism in relationships, families and social networks, workplaces, and in the services, programs and primary prevention work undertaken by organisations across all settings.

Access the resources here.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …when discrimination and violence are prevented, as sexism and ableism should never be accepted, justified or excused.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …having allies who work alongside women with disabilities to take action against sexism and ableism.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …family violence prevention, response and recovery services that are accessible for me and my children.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …having allies who challenge sexist and ableist behaviour.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …asking us to dance, not just inviting us to the party. We are not limited by gender and disability stereotypes!

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …when everyone takes action to protect the human rights of women with disabilities.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …when gender and disability stereotypes do not limit who we can be or what we can do.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …organisations valuing our lived expertise in co-design, consultation and advisory roles.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …access to employment with equal rights, pay, conditions and opportunities for all women with disabilities.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …making my own choices about sexuality and my reproductive health.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …living free from violence, abuse and discrimination

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …the right to make my own choices and decisions.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …choosing my own romantic partners, and enjoying equal and respectful relationships, irrespective of gender and disability.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …enjoying the same human rights as everyone else, irrespective of gender and disability.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …valuing our differences and abilities – disability is part of human diversity.

  • Women with disabilities say: Equality is…

    …enjoying equal and respectful relationships, irrespective of gender and disability

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future. We affirm that sovereignty was never ceded.

© Women’s Health East 2023.

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