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.
Meaningful Consultation and Co-Design with Women with Disabilities
Asking The Experts: A guide to best practice co-design and consultation with women with disabilities (download PDF here)
This guide promotes principled consultation and co-design with women with disabilities. It outlines a set of eight essential practices that enable ethical, effective work with wide-ranging benefits.
Created as part of Women’s Health East’s Margins to the Mainstream project, this guide was co-designed with the Experts Group.
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Women with Disabilities
This practice asset for health workers promotes improved accessibility of sexual and reproductive health practice for girls, women and gender diverse people with disabilities. It was written in consultation with the Margins to the Mainstream Experts.
Links to the asset:
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Women with Disabilities (2023) [PDF 2MB]
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Women with Disabilities (2023) [Docx]
Taking action as an ally for women with disabilities
It may feel difficult to start having conversations about gender and disability inequalities and stereotypes in your work team, wider organisation and with family, friends and other social groups you are involved with. To support you, the Experts Group have co-designed four brief conversation starter guides. They complement information in the videos and other resources.
Each conversation starter is two pages, focusing on a key message about equality for women with disabilities, with quotes from the Experts and tips on how to be a good ally for women with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace.
As well as the PDF versions that are available to download, word accessible documents are available to download.
Women with disabilities say:
‘Equality is when discrimination and violence are prevented, as sexism and ableism should never be accepted, justified or excused’.
‘Equality is having allies who work alongside women with disabilities to take action against sexism and ableism’.
‘Equality is asking us to dance, not just inviting us to the party. We are not limited by gender and disability stereotypes.’
‘Equality is when everyone takes action to protect the human rights of women with disabilities’.
Project Evaluation and Learning
A project-specific evaluation plan was developed early in project inception in 2020. TFER partners were identified as the intended primary users of the evaluation, to inform their further intersectional primary prevention practice.
Data collection and analysis was undertaken concurrently with project implementation over the period of the initial project funding, to end June 2022.
The comprehensive evaluation report includes a focus on understanding the achievements and lessons learned from the project and its implementation, to assist TFER partners to make informed decisions about next steps for the prevention of violence against women in the eastern region. In the course of consolidating the lessons learned and insights, two recommendations for funders and program decision-makers were also identified, in addition to recommendations for TFER.
Margins to the Mainstream Preventing violence against women with disabilities project 2020–2022 Evaluation Report
The detailed Evaluation Report (at this link), covers:
- the project and its context in the evolution of prevention practice, Victorian and national frameworks and the TFER partnership in Melbourne’s eastern region.
- the evaluation design and its process
- evaluation findings (thematic presentation) relating to intersectional prevention practice including centring lived experience, enabling community ownership, proper co-design and consultation and strengthening infrastructure for prevention work. This includes rich qualitative data.
- conclusions and next steps followed by recommendations, for TFER partners and for funders of primary prevention initiatives.
Margins to the Mainstream Preventing violence against women with disabilities project 2020–2022 Executive Summary Evaluation Report
The Executive Summary Report (at this link) provides a concise overview of the project, main findings, conclusions, plus recommendations for TFER and for funders.
Videos: hear from women with disabilities
“Equality Is…” is a set of six short documentary videos featuring Andrea, Jody, Julie-Ann, Sam and Vivienne, members of the Experts Group in the Margins to the Mainstream Project.
All the videos are captioned and Auslan translations of each video are also available (click on the link under the video title).
Equality is…
Access Auslan translation version here.
This video includes information about the Experts Group and the co-design process for the 16 messages and illustrations developed for the 2021 16 Days Campaign. The five Experts highlight issues and share examples from their lived experiences and with powerful calls to action for us all to take action to end ableism and gender inequality.
(Duration 20:40)
Jody
Access Auslan translation version here.
Jody speaks about her experience as a woman with an invisible disability including discrimination while studying at university and in the workforce.
“Although I can’t always stand, my voice can stand for me.”
(Duration 4:22)
Vivienne
Access Auslan translation version here.
Vivienne reflects on her experience in the Experts Group, her determination to keep learning and some supports that help her, as a woman with an intellectual disability.
“When we all stand up against ableism and sexism, the world becomes a much better place.”
(Duration 4:33)
Andrea
Access Auslan translation version here.
Andrea speaks about how important it is to make her own choices and be independent. She talks about the challenges for women with disabilities to have their rights acknowledged, giving an example of difficulties in receiving information in a form that are accessible for her.
(Duration 04:37)
Sam
Access Auslan translation version here.
Sam draws on her experience as an autistic woman to highlight the negative impacts of gender and disability stereotypes. She shares how these assumptions inform the stereotype that women and girls with disabilities are “vulnerable.” She speaks about the importance of being able to make decisions for herself and to enable women with disabilities to follow their individual interests and strengths in employment options, as she has done.
(Duration 5:39)
Julie-Anne
Access Auslan translation version here.
Content warning. In this video Julie-Ann speaks about her experience of physical and other forms of violence and controlling behaviour by a former partner. She outlines the hardships she and her children faced after leaving family violence. This content may be difficult for some people to watch, especially if you have experienced family violence. If you or someone you know needs to talk to someone and access support services, contact details are here.
Julie-Ann speaks about her experience of family violence, being isolated from family and friends and everyday interactions. Family violence led to Julie-Ann developing disabilities that continue to impact her daily life. She speaks powerfully about the importance of having information about safely leaving a violent relationship and support for taking this step, including safe and permanent housing. Julie-Ann highlights the importance of recovery services for women and children to start to heal, drawing on her own journey. She highlights the importance of women with lived experience of family violence as mentors to other women survivors.
“Imagine a whole group of women connected together – thriving instead of just surviving – awesome.”
(Duration 11:10)
Social Media Toolkit 2022
16 Days of Activism Campaign Resources
The Project Experts co-designed messages and other resources for use as part of the Together for Equality and Respect regional 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaigns in 2022 and in 2021. Everyone in the community to take action on the sexism and ablism which so greatly impacts the lives of women with disabilities and lead to high rates of violence against them.
Social Media Toolkit 2022
This social media campaign toolkit was produced as part of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender Violence in 2022. It includes everything that you need to post on four key days of significance during the campaign period.
Posters
You can download the print-ready files below.
This design is best for displaying on a noticeboard or office wall. It’s a great conversation starter to support discussions about the 16 campaign messages.
This design can be used to promote your 16 Days of Activism activities, with space to include event information alongside four campaign messages.
Postcards and Bookmarks
You can download the print-ready files for two postcards below.
On one side are a message about equality for women with disabilities with an illustration. On the reverse side are four actions we can take to contribute to the prevention of violence against women with disabilities.
Email signatures
If you would like to add an e-signature to your work or personal emails during the 16 Days, you can choose from the two options below.
Social Media Toolkit 2021
This social media campaign toolkit was produced as part of the 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender Violence in 2021. It includes everything that you need to post on each day during the campaign period.