Integrated Disabled

Women Activities
(IDIWA)
Annual Newsletter
2023
 Message from the Executive Director:

“
...... we are truly proud of IDIWA’s many achievements
that strengthened recognition of the rights of women
and girls with disabilities, fostered inclusive movement
building, and bolstered capacity to better meet the needs
of our members.

I
welcome you our esteemed
readers to the IDIWA Annual
Newsletter for 2022. It has been
a year of significant growth and
progress for Integrated Disabled
Women Activities, IDIWA despite
the continued challenges occasioned
by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has
also been a time of change and
anticipation of new beginnings.
Improving the quality of life and
well-being of women and girls with
disabilities and their families was high
on the agenda. We have devised
means for building back by putting
in place mechanisms for building
resilience and strengthening our
capacity to deal with crises that may
arise in the future.
As we look back on 2021, we
are truly proud of IDIWA’s many
achievements that strengthened
recognition of the rights of women
We look forward to strengthening our
collaboration with other partners and
donors as we push our agenda in the
coming year of 2022/2023.
and girls with disabilities, fostered
inclusive movement building, and
bolstered capacity to better meet
the needs of our members. We are
also proud of the steps we took to
take care of ourselves as we strive to
community a better place.
IDIWA is energized by the
transformation taking place within
our members and communities
toward maximizing their potential
and improving their standard of living.
Voices from the community indicate
that efforts made over the years and
the current ones are bearing fruit,
multiplying, and will continue to bring
hope, and improve on the livelihoods
and independence of women and girls
with disabilities.
We continued to spread her footprint
in Busoga by launching a project in
Bugiri and building and strengthening
movements of emerging women and
girls with disability groups in Busoga
region to create stronger voices for
women and girls with disability.
We are committed to increasing
awareness about the rights of women
and girls with disabilities and amplifying
their voices, Gender Based Violence
and Sexual Reproductive Health
and Rights (GBV/SRHR), political
consciousness, questioning the
invisible power that keeps women and
girls behind, and providing information
to organizations and individuals that
provide support to accessing a broad
range of SGBV information and
services;
Challenging informal discriminatory
norms and deep structures, including
those that maintain inequality in
everyday practices e.g., culture,
religion, and social norms that define
what is acceptable and often remain
invisible powers that still hold women
back and constrain SRHR work even
when people know;
Championing human rights at the
intersection of gender and disability
requires strength and resilience to
overcome the myriad barriers our

2 Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)


community faces; and Supporting Women
Human Rights Defenders’ well-being,
safety, and security initiatives as they face
resistance and backlash while formally and
informally challenging the current GBV/
SRHR status quo. This includes enabling
and fostering a culture of collective care,
healing, and protection for (AWHRDs);
We are thankful to our donors for their
continuous financial and technical support
that has enabled us to continue pushing our
agenda forward, the Board of Directors for
the guidance, and support to Management,
the entire membership and partners and
stakeholders for the support, and ensuring
that IDIWA fulfills her mandate. I am
grateful to the dynamic staff team for the
cooperation, support, and commitment
to serving the organization, and keeping
IDIWA flag high.
We look forward to strengthening our
collaboration with other partners and
donors as we push our agenda in the coming
year of 2022/2023. We aim to contribute
to the achievement of the national and
international development agendas
including the National Development Plan
(NDP III), Vision 2040, and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
Elizabeth Kayanga
Founding Executive Director
Annual Newsletter 2023
Contents
Contents
Message From The Executive Director: 2
Strengthening Protection, Response To Sgbv 4
Among Wgds Through Community Dialogue
And Sensitization
A Day With Cultural Leaders As Champions 6
Against Gender Based Violence
PARALEGALS: An Effective Community 8
Structure For Protection Response To Gbv
Among Women And Girls With Disabilities
IDIWA Intervenes In Gbv Cases In Mayuge 9
And Bugweri Districts
A Call For Accessible Built Environment 10
And Services To Women And Girls With
Disabilities In Public Places
IDIWA Engages Health Workers And Senior 12
Women Techears On Gender Based Violence
And Disability Specific Support
Girls And Young Women With Disabilities 14
Taking Lead
From Powerless To Empowerment: Racheal 16
Kalinaki Narrates A Journey Of Success
Kaliro District Local Government Passes A 18
Policy On
Disability-Inclusive Sexual And Gender-Based 18
Services
100 Women With Disabilities (Survivors Of 20
Violence) From Mayuge District Visit Peers In
Luuka District For A Learning Exchange On
Goat Rearing
A Ray Of Hope For Children With Disabilities 21
In Nakalama Sub-County
Feminists/Women’s Rights Movement To End 22
Gender-Based Violence In Busoga Subregion
3
 Story:
STRENGTHENING PROTECTION, RESPONSE TO
SGBV AMONG WGDS THROUGH COMMUNITY
DIALOGUE AND SENSITIZATION
Community Dialogue on SGBV
Women and girls with disabilities
are discriminated against not only
by their families but also by the
wider community; for example,
the community views women with
disabilities as ineligible partners, hence,
men do not want to identify with
them in public. Men just visit women
with disabilities in the night and leave
before dawn, and this exposes them to
sexually transmitted diseases including
HIV/AIDS. Women with disabilities
single-handedly carry the burden of
4 Advocating for Access to Gainful Employment
caring for children born out of sexual The community has a big role to play
violence, and or their fathers deny in protecting girls and young women
responsibility. with disabilities from violence and
ensuring a violence-free environment
Women with disabilities are denied
in households and communities.
justice when they report GBV cases
IDIWA conducts community dialogues
to local council courts as family and
and sensitization meetings to help
community members, and local council
the community appreciate the legal
leaders connive with perpetrators to
frameworks on GBV, and recognize
settle GBV cases out of court. Besides,
women and girls with disabilities as
the community lacks awareness of the
rights holders, early warning signs of
referral pathways, hence, they do not
GBV, referral pathways, and the role
report cases when their children with
of community members to protect
disabilities are abused.

Ccommunity Dialogue on SGBV.jpg
women and girls with disabilities,
identify, report, and follow up GBV
cases in their communities.
During a community dialogue meeting
in Mayuge district, forms of SGBV such
as physical were discussed to find the
resolutions to the causes of violence
and see the way forward to eliminate
violence in communities.
IDIWA legal counsel spearheads
community sensitization, unpacking
sexual, psychological, economic,
assault, manslaughter, rape, defilement,
defamation, verbal insult, restricting
access to financial resources, and
female genital mutilation among others
to enable community members to
appreciate the concepts. The lawyers
noted that Gender-Based Violence
fuels gender inequality by keeping
women and girls with disabilities
subordinate and under the control
of men, leading to poverty and
increased economic stress, stigma and
discrimination, negative attitudes, and
death among others.
IDIWA trained paralegals who provide
ongoing consciousness-raising and
human awareness in their community
Annual Newsletter 2023
Project News
Community Dialogue on SGBV (4).jpg
on a voluntary basis. Paralegals also
identify, report, and follow up cases,
provide counselling for women and
girls with disabilities, and mediation
using alternative dispute resolution
methods. Community members also
highlighted the need to the provision
of mobility and assistive devices and
education support for children born
out of sexual violence to women and
girls with disabilities.
During the community sensitizations in
Mayuge district, community members
and local councilors for persons with
disabilities called for expansion of the
human rights awareness campaign and
inclusion of men in GBV programming,
noting that the learned violent
behaviour can be unlearned; that
men have gendered vulnerabilities
(like women). Community members
highlighted is need to create a safe
space for boys and men and listen to
their stories; use a group therapeutic
approach that critically questions
and challenges harmful concepts of
masculinity, using culturally appropriate
framing; and promote individual-level
change with community and structural
support; encourage a locally owned and
driven approach by building capacity
within local organizations, as well as
by training male SGBV champions
within the community to understand
the benefits of changed norms, for
both men and women and discuss
how to support each other, to make
transformation possible and sustained.
They appreciated IDIWA for facilitating
critical awareness about how gender
norms shape the lives of men and
women, questioning the damage of
adhering to these norms for both
men and women; facilitating a process
of moving away from unhealthy,
inequitable gender norms to positive
notions of manhood and being a
woman.
IDIWA applauded security mechanisms
for empowering community members
with information and knowledge
about human rights, and the causes
and effects of gender-based violence.
Security officers indicated that the
IDIWA GBV program had greatly
enhanced peace in households and
communities.
5
 A Day with Cultural Leaders as Champions
Against Gender Based Violence
Eastern Uganda faces extreme
poverty and tops the list on GBV
which is devastating and survivors
often experience long-life emotional
distress, mental health problems
and poor reproductive health.
Gender is socially constructed
and rooted in patriarchal power
and hierarchy, thus, social realities
birthed from such validated
inequalities and categorizations
suppress women’s voices as well as
agency and impinge on their rights
to comprehensive SGBV services,
and ignore challenging realities and
promote and perpetuate gender-
based violence.
The accessibility challenges to SGBV
services and the perpetuation of
GBV cases have been exacerbated
by the persistent negative
cultural and religious norms that
deepened inequalities and structural
discrimination. Experiences of
marginalized groups, particularly
women and girls with disabilities
are dependent on prevailing societal
attitudes that are informed by
interlocking religious, political,
and cultural beliefs and which
among others, are key factors in
the heightened disability-based
discrimination.
IDIWA is committed to transforming
gender norms and is part of the
6 Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)
A parent of a girl with hearing impairment voincing out the
<No intersecting link>
disacrimination of WGDs in communities.JPG
ecosystem of feminist and women’s others.
and disability rights movements in
Ms. Edith Wamenderaki, the IDIWA
Uganda. IDIWA has invited Busoga
Gender, and Human Rights Program
Kingdom to promote catalytic,
Manager says that in some areas in
transformative, systemic change
Busoga, women do not speak when
which addresses the root barriers
their husbands are around, especially
preventing gender equality, rather
during village meetings, where
than seeking to change women to
women are always seen seated and
adapt to discriminatory systems.
silent while the men speak. “Culture
Busoga kingdom is the custodian
denies them the opportunity to be
of cultural norms, some of which
exposed and educated as boys, so they
perpetrate violence against WGDs,
have low self-esteem. Hence women
hence, the engagement sought to
and girls who try to speak out are
raise consciousness and awareness
perceived as spoilt and big-headed
on disability and GBV, and the need
and are battered by their spouses,”
to avert discriminatory cultural
said Ms. Wamwenderaki.
and religious norms, practices and
negative social gender norms that In his remarks, the Chairman of
perpetuate violence against WGDs Iganga District, Mr. Gabula Ezra
such as female genital mutilation, commended IDIWA for advocating
forced marriages mostly to older for the rights of Women and Girls
men, denial of education and with Disabilities, providing them
inheritance, and seclusion among with mobility appliances such as

A group photo of participants during engagement of cultural leaders from Busoga.JPG
wheelchairs; influencing the first
ever, Local Government (Iganga
District) (Persons with Disabilities)
Ordinance, 2013; the District Policy
on Disability, 2013, and establishing
the Iganga Disabled People’s Saving
and Credit Cooperative (IDP-
SACCO), where he (Gabula) served
Chairperson of the Supervisory
Committee. The SACCO has
enabled Women and Girls with
Disabilities to access financial
services, which was previously
impossible. “I will work together with
you (IDIWA) and ensure Iganga District
implements the laws and policies to
protect and promote the rights of
persons with disabilities in the district,”
said Mr. Gabula.
Ow’Ekitibwa Kigenyi Wansolo
Andrew, the Minister of Culture
and People with Disabilities in
Annual Newsletter 2023
Busoga Kingdom, thanked IDIWA
for mobilizing PWDs, identifying
Busoga kingdom as one of the key
actors in the move to fight GBV
among WGDs in the region. Mr.
Wansolo noted that the office of the
His Royal Highness the Kyabazinga
of Busoga was championing gender
equality and ending GBV was the
key areas prioritized, adding that for
a long time, the kingdom has been
looking for a partner to work with
especially on issues of vulnerable
women. “Gender-based violence
in Busoga has been fueled by lack
of love in families. There is a need
for strengthening family structures
which can promote healthy homes,
education, and productivity in the
homes,” said Wansolo.
Owekitibwa Edward Paul Munaba,
Minister without Portfolio in Busoga
Project News
Kingdom, stated that the Kingdom
is committed to joining IDIWA
efforts in fighting GBV among
WGDs, and will participate in the
Anti-GBV campaign. IDIWA was
invited to the annual “Ekigangu
kya Busoga”, and girls and young
women with disabilities would be
provided scholarships as one of
the measures to prevent violence.
“Busoga Kingdom, with the Minister of
Gender in the lead, shall put in place a
strict policy on GBV and Disability. The
Kingdom committed to incorporate
sessions on disability and GBV in the
upcoming training for the Busoga
clan leaders to enhance their ability
to publicly denounce the negative
norms that perpetrate violence against
Women and Girls with Disabilities,”
Ow’Ekitibwa Munaba noted.
7
 PARALEGALS: An Effective Community Structure for
Protection Response to GBV among Women and Girls with
Disabilities
Paralegal (Baligasima Mary) sharing views at Lutale B.JPG
“A paralegal is a highly-valued
member of a legal team that has
extensive knowledge of the law and
legal matters, but is not a qualified
lawyer”.
In addition to the high cost of
legals services in Uganda, there
is a general lack of community
structures to support women and
girls with disabilities survivors of
violence. IDIWA has established
a core team of 150 paralegals in
Busoga sub region, they act as
focal point persons for women and
girls with disabilities experiencing
violence in their communities on
a voluntary basis. They identify,
report, and follow up GBV cases
8 Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)
with probation office, local council
courts, police, and judial courts
in collaboration with IDIWA legal
team. Paralegals have reached 324
women and girls with disabilities,
resolved 43 cases through mediation
in Kaliro, Mayuge, Bugiri, Iganga and
Kamuli district.
Paralegals have come to the limelight
as women human rights defenders,
and activists, and have progressively
influenced society through
consciousness raising and GBV
awareness for parents, caregivers,
and the general community. In
the course of their work, they
have noted lack of school fees,
scholastic materials, sanitary pads
and mobility and assistive devices
as major barriers to education for
girl children with disabilities, and
brought this to the attention of
duty bearers, and non-state actors.
Paralegals have helped connect
women and girls with disabilities
to existing opportunities in the
community for example the iSave
model of the National Union of
Disabled Persons of Uganda and
the housing program of Habitat
for Humanity in Mayuge district.
Women with disabilities have made
saving and bought property, and
secured permanent houses for their
families.

IDIWA Intervenes in Gbv Cases in Mayuge
and Bugweri Districts
Women and Girls with disabilities
(WGDs) experience human rights
violations and abuse including
gender-based violence that seeks
to control an individual by inflicting
emotional harm including threats,
intimidation, humiliation, and
coercion, leading to Sexual and
Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)
cases.
Gender-based violence includes
domestic and sexual violence such
as rape, defilement, and assault,
among others which are harmful
acts perpetrated against a person’s
will and are based on socially
ascribed (gender) differences
between males and females.
IDIWA intervenes in GBV cases
in the rural communities in the
districts in Busoga sub-region to
ensure justice for survivors. IDIWA
legal team has handled GBV cases
which among others include:
Aggravated defilement of a 16-year-
old tailoring student with hearing
Counsel from Justice center Jinja training SW Teachers on legal framework at Mugabi hall in mayuge.png
Annual Newsletter 2023
impairment (name not disclosed),
and resident of Nakawa village
in Kigandalo sub-county Mayuge
district, was allegedly defiled by
a man (names withheld), who
seduced her on her way from
Kigandalo Technical Institute. The
suspect was arraigned in Jinja High
Court after reporting the case to
Mayuge Central Police Station that
the perpetrator was arrested and
detained at Ikulwe Prisons, and
awaits a court ruling.
Rape of a mentally disabled woman
from Bugweri district by a 50-year-
old man; he was arrested and
detained, and IDIWA is keenly
following up on the case till justice
is served for the survivor.
Denial of land for a 65-year-old
woman with hearing impairment
by the husband in a marriage of 37
Project News
years with one child.
Assault of a 40-year-old woman
from Mayuge district by an
unidentified villager in revenge for
failing to rape, and claiming that
her husband had a love affair with
his wife
There is a growing concern
that police and other local
council leaders especially village
chairpersons connive with suspects,
engaging in corruption and cases
end up not being heard in courts,
and justice to victims (survivors)
has not prevailed.
IDIWA calls upon community
members to report suspects to
authorities (police, local leaders,
community development officers
and probation officers) to ensure
justice for survivors, and protect
girls and young women from
violence in their households.
9
 A CALL FOR ACCESSIBLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND SERVICES
TO WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES IN PUBLIC PLACES

New Adjustable Labour Bed.JPG

The term Accessibility from the Universal Design (the every person who gets to know
point of view of the National Universal Possibility) in about the facility, that it is available
Accessibility Standards (NAS) a facility, which means that to be used by all persons who
means: “the universal possibility in when designing and constructing are interested in and intending to
a facility, where the general public any facility or building to which benefit from the whatever legal
is ordinarily invited, to be reached services are offered such as health service or ease to life is found
by all persons interested in and centers, schools, offices, latrines/ therein.
intending to enter; maneuver toilets, etc., due regard should be
Reach, Enter and Use
themselves within with ease, use placed in the usability of the of
(REU), meaning that every
the facility or the services therein the facility by all the population
person intending to benefit from
without undue difficulty posed by spectrum irrespective of disability
whatever legal service or ease
inbuilt hindrances, with dignity and and gender. Technically this is
to life is found in a facility, can,
without a high risk of sustaining known as “Universal Design”
without undue difficulty posed
bodily injury in the process of
General Invitation to the by inbuilt or hitherto naturally
entering or using the facility so
Public, which means that by existing hindrances or barriers,
entered”.
social design, a perpetual call and reach, enter and use the facility
Accessibility is further defined in an offer, without segregation or independently and with ease.
six doctrines including: discrimination has been made to

10 Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)


Access ramp (3).JPG
Maneuverability, means that
in order to use or benefit from
the availability of a facility or
building, every user has to make
movements within that facility
which are convenient for that
person to gain comfortable use
of the facility and successfully
complete the legal business he or
she intended accomplish therein
Dignity in the use of a facility,
which means that every person
going to use any facility or building
where general public is ordinarily
invited should not suffer any form
of indignity in the use of the facility.
Suffering indignity in the use of a
facility includes but may not be
limited to: Becoming dirty or soiled
in any way on the palms, feet, skin
or clothing; Obtaining bad smell
in the cause of using a facility;
suffering shame, disgust or horror.
Low Risk of Sustaining Bodily
Injury, means that there should
be, within the limits of normalcy,
very low risk or likelihood to users
of a facility to suffer bodily injury
arising from the presentation of a
Annual Newsletter 2023
Newly constructed Ramp at Malong sub-county.JPG
facility to the users.
In order to influence accessibility
for PWDs in public places,
IDIWA conducts accessibility
audit in service centers, as part
of projects baseline surveys, and
produces reports for advocacy, in
close collaboration with trained
members of District Accessibility
Audit Committees. IDIWA has
core team of Accessibility Audit
Trainers, who conduct accessibility
auditing training and assessment
of public buildings/facilities to
verify their compliance with
the Accessibility Standards and
Building Control Act (2013) with
its regulations, the PWDs Act of
2020, as amended.
Evidence indicates that
Government has not adequately
implemented the laws to guarantee
the right of PWDs to access to
schools/learning centers and other
public places, and services without
barriers.
Luubu Primary School, in Mayuge
District, presented a senior woman
teacher for GBV training with
Project News
Some of the 25 wheel chairs procured and
distributed to different HC in kaliro district.JPG
IDIWA, and with her influence,
the school has established access
facilities to the classrooms, toilets/
latrines and bathrooms, and
walkways in the school compound
for the visually impaired. Luubu
Primary School has since become
a model and other schools are
already benchmarking. Ms. Aisha
Kawala, the head-teacher of
the school appreciated IDIWA
for always standing for WGDs,
saying they put the facilities in place
following advocacy engagements
with IDIWA.
Mayuge District has procured and
distributed 6 wheelchairs and 14
adjustable labor beds to health
centers to ensure access to sexual
reproductive health services for
women and girls with disabilities.
We call upon government to
implement the proactive laws on
disability; for example, the Building
Control Act, 2013 to deal with
construction, and cater for the
accessibility needs People with
Physical Disabilities.
11
A group phot of health workers.jpg

IDIWA Engages Health Workers and Senior

Women Techears on Gender Based Violence
and Disability Specific Support

Presentation of the group after the discussion.jpg

12 Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)


Incharge of Bukatuube health center presenting the findings on SGBV.JPG
Women with disabilities who are
survivors of violence experience
peculiar challenges including life-
long emotional distress, mental
health problems, and health tend to
be indifferent while handing women
and girls with disabilities. There
are physical and communication
barriers which make it difficult for
women and girls with disabilities to
access services in health centers.
Women also experience other
forms of violence, including rape
and other sexual violence at the
hands of acquaintances, friends,
and strangers; physical and sexual
violence from relatives; trafficking;
female genital
mutilation; early and forced
marriage; and murders in the name
of so-called honour.
All of these forms of violence can
bring women into contact with the
health-care system, which must
be prepared to respond. Health
systems have a crucial role in a
multisector response to violence
against women. Some countries
have guidelines or protocols
articulating this role and health-
care workers are trained in some
Annual Newsletter 2023
Group discuission of health workers during the training at Mugabi Hall in Mayuge district.jpg
settings, but generally system
development and implementation
have been slow to progress.
Substantial system and behavioral
barriers exist, especially in rural
areas. Violence against women was
identified as a health priority in 2013
guidelines published by WHO and
the 67th World Health Assembly
resolution on strengthening
the role of the health system in
addressing violence, particularly
against women and girls. There
is need to review evidence for
clinical interventions and discuss
components of a comprehensive
health-system approach that
helps health-care providers to
identify and support women
subjected to intimate partner
or sexual violence. Case studies
show the diversity of contexts
and pathways for development
of a health system response to
violence against women. There is
to strengthen health systems to
enable health providers to address
violence against women, including
protocols, capacity building,
effective coordination between
agencies, and referral networks.
Project News
IDIWA engaged health workers,
and senior women teachers on
legal frameworks, and the national
health policy, and providing disability
specific support women and girls
with disabilities survivors in health
centers, schools and community in
Bugiri district. The meeting provided
opportunity for frank dialogue and
feedback from rights holders. Women
with disabilities highlighted the issues
of health workers asking money to
sign police form 3A, and this had
contributed to denial of justice.
Health workers and Senior women
teachers appreciated the training,
and promised to support to women
and girls with disabilities, and
advocating for their rights. “Such
trainings are really necessary; We
had no knowledge of how to handle
women and girls with disabilities. We
promise to change our attitude and
provide equal services to women and
girls with disabilities just like we do
for the non-disabled,” ….. said one
health worker in Bugiri district.
IDIWA implored trainees to use
the skills learnt, and embrace
human rights approach to service
delivery.
13
 GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES TAKING LEAD

Engagement of GYW with disabilities at Bulamagi sub c ounty.JPG

The She Leads Program brings NL) which is the overall coordinating Terre des Hommes-Netherlands
together child rights organizations, entity in Uganda. doubles as the overall coordinating entity.
f e m i n i s t / w o m e n ’s rights
The consortium supports GYW-led IDIWA is an implementing partner
organizations, and girls and young
groups and local partners to determine of the She Leads Uganda, under
women (GYW)-led groups in a
their agendas and achieve their goals FEMNET, ensuring that GYW’s
joint effort to increase the sustained
through lobbying, advocacy, and capacity- perspectives are included in gender-
influence of girls and young women
building support to promote the agency responsive laws and policies, and
on decision-making and the
of girls and young women and strengthen societal norms and practices.
transformation of gender norms in
their participation and representation IDIWA has produced most of the
formal and informal institutions. She
in civil society and (formal and informal) She Leads program results in year
Leads in Uganda is a five-year (2021-
institutions including Religious Leaders/ one and two. We are increasingly
2025) strategic partnership between
institutions, Local leaders/ Institutional, witnessing sustained influence of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
subcounty or district leaders/Institutions, GYW on decision-making and the
the Netherlands and a consortium
community leaders/ institutions, like transformation of gender norms
consisting of Plan International
minded CSOs, GYW groups, UPFYA, in formal and informal institutions.
Netherlands, Defence for Children
UWOPA, MDA’s, UN Agencies, and Three GYWDs from IDIWA were
International – ECPAT Netherlands
Regional Agencies. In Uganda, the she selected to be part of United Nations
(DCI-ECPAT), African Women’s
Leads consortium is implemented by Human Rights Council, two (2)
Development and Communication
three consortium partners i.e., Plan GYW group leaders were in July
Network (FEMNET), and Terre
International Uganda, FEMNET, and 2022 appointed to the Busoga GBV
des Hommes Netherlands (TdH-

14 Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)

 Project News

A group photo of women and young girls in the mosque during community sensitization..JPG SGBVPR~1.JPG

and Disability Rights Network,

where they were selected to
the gender and human rights
and Sexual Reproductive Health
Rights (SRHR) thematic working
groups, to advance and advise
the Network issues that affect
GYWDs in regard to GBV.

Local leaders and religious leaders

are engaging on elimination of
negative gender norms that affect
GYW; the Muslim community
in Iganga district invited IDIWA
to sensitize about the rights of
GYWDs, ……. “a sign of positive
change”; ordinarily, a woman was
never allowed to stand and speak
in a mosque, according to Islamic
SHEIKM~1.JPG
doctrine.

Annual Newsletter 2023 15

 Success Story

FROM POWERLESS TO EMPOWERMENT: RACHEAL KALINAKI

NARRATES A JOURNEY OF SUCCESS

I am a Women Human Rights

Defender (WHRD) from
Integrated Disabled Women
Activities (IDIWA), and my
passion towards advocacy
for Girls and Young Women
with Disabilities (GYWD) was
basically driven through personal
experience with marginalization
on account of age, gender and
disability.

Looking back at the past 25

years of my life, growing up and
living with a disability amongst
community members without
disabilities made it incredibly
difficult for me to thrive, have a
positive self-image and develop
self-esteem. These discriminated
against me in a number of ways
but not limited to denial of
interaction with other children
as they thought that I would pass
on my disability to them, denial
of access to social gatherings and
negative attitudes from people
toward my disability deeming me
“second citizen” This triggered
a wide range of unsettling
emotions and fears and often
having echoes of lost hope,
joy and dreams. I was always
thinking that my disability is a
total tragedy in my life.

16 Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)


When I joined IDIWA, my life
changed into a whole new life
through the several capacity
building trainings we had.
Furthermore, I was able to join
She Leads program which is a
consortium that aims to increase
sustained influence of GYW in
decision making processes and
elimination of discriminatory
social and gender norms.
Through a vigorous selection
process, I was elated to be
selected as an advocate for
GYWD at UN.
This gives me an important
platform to advocate for my
rights and rights of GYWD
at a global level, getting new
knowledge and skills in advocacy
through different engagements
with the UN disability inclusion
webinars, social media campaigns
advocating for innovation in
health sector to meet the
diverse and unique challenges of
GYWD, writing strong advocacy
statements, working on the
Commission on the Status of
Women (CSW 67) among
others.
Being a She Leads Youth
Advocate at UN has shaped me
into the best version of myself. I
now make use of my voice and I
Annual Newsletter 2023
Project News
encourage others to listen; I have On November 7, 2022, it was my
stronger zeal to advocate for my experience at the Internal Affairs
rights, and rights of GYWD who Ministry (Mbale) when I went
cannot use their, and influence for my travel passport. Toilets
others to listen. were not accessible to PWDs.
I addressed the concern to the
From the knowledge I acquired
Immigration officer through a
from the engagements as a
letter copied to Mbale district
She Leads Youth Advocate at
disability council chairperson
UN, I overcame the depression
who was grateful for the steps
where my classmate at
taken towards advocating for
university infringed on my
an accessible environment for
rights, making inhuman insults
PWDs. I am committed to
about my disability on a class
following up the matter in the
WhatsApp group. I exposed
next financial year 2023 June.
his nasty acts to all students,
seeking administrative step A million thanks to IDIWA and
of action towards my matter. the SHE LEADS PROGRAM for
At my request, the university making me a strong advocate for
administration had him kneel GYWD. It takes an empowered
down on his knees to apologize young woman like me to create a
to me before the students, disability inclusive environment.
entire university and disability
fraternity, where he wrote an
apology and commitment letter
to me.
I used the same space to sensitize
students against discrimination
of marginalized groups of people.
My strong and fearless action
towards him yielded positive
impact as discrimination of
PWDs reduced hence becoming
a good lesson to the rest. They
now treat me with dignity and
respect.
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 KALIRO DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENT PASSES A POLICY ON
DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED SERVICES
Years after the commission of the
ICPD Programme of Action (1994)
which was intended to act as a
progressive process linking Sexual
and Reproductive Health and Rights
(SRHR) and human rights, SRHR
remains one of the glaring gaps and
priorities for women, particularly
in Africa. In 2015, the international
community transitioned from the
Millennium Development Goals to
the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) which specifically highlight
the necessity of leaving no one
behind, including key populations,
if the global community is to realise
sustainable development. Among
them is SDG 3 which aims to
ensure healthy lives and promote
well-being for all at all ages. In
addition, several other SDGs also
contribute to achieving equality and
equity. For instance, SDG 1 seeks to
end poverty by targeting the most
vulnerable and increasing access to
basic resources and services, among
others.
The Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disability declares
that States Parties need to ensure
that persons with disability can
decide freely and responsibly on
the number and spacing of their
children while retaining their fertility
on an equal basis with others (Article
23). Article 12 of the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women
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(CEDAW) reaffirms that states
ensure access to health services for
women on an equitable basis with
men, including, for instance, family
planning, pregnancy, and antenatal
care. For people with disabilities,
article 25 of the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of People
with Disabilities (UNCRPD) entreats
Governments to make SRH services
and care accessible and inclusive,
and on an equal basis to persons
without disabilities. Uganda ratified
this convention in September 2008
indicating the commitment of the
government to the provision of
quality health services to PWDs.
The rights of persons with disability
are stipulated in the Ugandan
Constitution of 1995 as follows:
“Persons with disability have a right
to respect and human dignity and
the state and society shall take
appropriate measures to ensure
that they realize their full mental and
physical potential.”
However, these policies have not
translated into SRH services to
women and girls with disabilities due
to inadequate implementation, lack
of prioritization, and funding. IDIWA
conducted community consultations
with women and girls with disabilities,
and duty bearers to identify policy and
implementation gaps for SRHR advocacy
in Kaliro district, Eastern Uganda.
Women and girls with disabilities
highlighted several challenges they
Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)
face while seeking SRH services.
“I am always attended to at 5 pm
when health workers are retiring.
Yet I am one of those that come
early for antenatal”, …. A testimony
by one of the participating women
with disabilities.
The consultation further revealed that
labour wards/beds are not accessible
to mothers with disabilities; there are
no sign language interpreters in health
centers which makes communication
very difficult. Women with disabilities
are routinely turned away when they
seek services, with health workers
arguing that their birthing process
requires cesarean section which is
not necessarily the case.
Kaliro District Local Government
expressed the need for a local
ordinance to provide a practical and
actionable source of information,
setting out an approach to guide the
district on disability-inclusive Sexual
and Gender-Based Violence. IDIWA
agreed to support the process and
developed a statement of SRHR
issues, and a policy brief that formed
the basis for drafting the policy; and
organized several engagements with
the Technical Planning Committee
(TPC), District Executive Committee
(DEC), and the Standing Committee
on Social Services to review and
review the draft policy before final
approval by the District Council in
Dec 2022.

Group Photo (District Vice Chairperson, Principal Assistant Secretaty) During the Policy Review.jpg
The policy seeks to promote an
understanding of the importance of
disability-inclusive SGBV services and
provide a health system framework
that supports an understanding of
key challenges, possible actions, and
key practical steps to undertake to
ensure access for women and girls
with disabilities to comprehensive
and disability-inclusive SRH services
including family planning, antenatal and
postnatal care, treatment of Sexually
Transmitted Diseases, individualized
health education.
The policy derives mandate from
Part IV Section 38 of the Local
Governments Act, 2020, as amended.
During the report presented before
the DEC and TPC, Ms. Elizabeth
Kayanga, the IDIWA Executive
Director (ED) said SRHR and GBV
issues need to be taken seriously if
development is to happen, adding
that skilling of women and girls with
disabilities is also critical for economic
empowerment. “The district should
not fear the financial implications
of the policy, it can be achieved
progressively through strategic
Annual Newsletter 2023
and annual planning…said IDIWA
Executive Director”.
Mr. Kagoda Elijah, the Chairperson,
of Kaliro District, said the policy is
appropriate and doesn’t contradict
National and District Policies, adding
that it will be approved and urged
members to own the policy and be
committed to implementing it.
“The community is not aware that
they need to protect Children with
Disabilities. The government is fully
in support of PWDs and therefore
they must be catered for,” said Mr.
Kagoda. He further noted that police
and health workers tend to ignore
issues of PWDs, urging them to take
PWDs issues seriously as they are
also citizens who must benefit from
government programs and other
social activities.
Mr. Emmy Mitala, the Kaliro
Resident District Commissioner
(RDC), appreciated IDIWA for
the tremendous work done in the
district, highlighting that all people
are the same, so people should
stop discriminating PWDs and
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emphasizing that PWDs must be
prioritized in government programs
like Emyooga, Parish Development
Model so that they also benefit
just like other citizens. The RDC
applauded the district leaders for
their achievement in developing
the policy and encouraged them to
invite other districts to benchmark as
this will increase outreach to other
persons with disabilities in Uganda.
Samuel Kalisa Bigirwa, the Kaliro
District Chief Administrative Officer
(CAO) commended IDIWA for always
advocating for the rights of persons
with disabilities, calling upon members
to conduct awareness meetings
through the sectoral committees
to ensure people in different
departments are acquainted with
the policy. Bigirwa noted that; “As a
district, they will lobby from partners
who can provide wheelchairs and
there’s a need to make people aware
of the policy through community
sensitizations.” He encouraged the
disability council to popularize the
policy and ensure that PWDs benefit
from the government.
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 100 Women with Disabilities
(Survivors of Violence) from
Mayuge District Visit Peers in
Luuka District for a Learning
Exchange on Goat Rearing
Integrated Disabled Women Activities
(IDIWA), is a feminist organization
committed to transforming power
relations through resourcing women
and girls with disabilities to achieve
economic independence, social
justice, decision-making, and creating
partnerships with men based on
mutual respect, and sustainable
change in communities. In a bid to
fight violence against women and girls
with disabilities, IDIWA has embarked
on training them on how to rear goats
to increase household income.
According to Ms. Timwizanga Betty
Irene, the Sexual Reproductive Health
(SRH) Project Officer, Women, and
Girls with Disabilities (WGDs) in
the community have been left out
of developmental programs due to
disability-based discrimination. They lack
income, and cannot access basic services
such as education and health among
others, hence, perpetuating a cycle of
poverty. IDIWA affirms that Gender
Based Violence (GBV) in Busoga sub-
region is attributed to poverty, and the
vice must be fought squarely.
Following training on entrepreneurship
with a focus on goat rearing as a
small business, IDIWA organized a
two-day learning exchange for 100
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women and girls with disabilities from
Mayuge district (survivors of violence)
to their peers in Bukanga sub-county,
Luuka district. IDIWA supported
livelihood activities in 2005, and 2019
and women and girls with disabilities
were still earning from goat rearing
and had diversified their sources of
income. Selected focal persons hosted
the group from Mayuge, and they
handled different topics including
breeding mechanisms, shelter,
feeding, treatment, and challenges
and mitigations in goat rearing.
The visiting group learnt that a goat
enterprise is an important source of
meat, milk, skin, and other products
which are vital for the household
economy. This, however, can be
achieved when the goat is managed
correctly to produce twins or more
each time it produces.
Kevin Musasizi, a woman with a
disability in Bukanga Sub County,
who had earlier attained the same
skills, shared her experiences with
colleagues about shelter construction
(goat farm unit). A standard goat
shelter measures 5m from the ground,
and poles are put on top stones to
avoid destruction by termites. The
shelter length is 10m, and timber is
laid horizontally with gaps in between
to enable the wastes to drop, and 12m
up before adding the roofing. The
roofing can be made out of grass and
polyethylene or iron sheet depending
on your financial capability.
Esther Nangobi lives with hearing
impairment and is a resident of
Kimanto village; she urged colleagues
to always feed their goats well, saying
goats grow healthy hence quality
production.
The most common breeds in Uganda
include Small East African Goats,
Mubende, Kigezi, and Sebei Goats,
and the Boer goat from South Africa
was discussed.
IDIWA is committed to providing
ongoing support supervision to all
initiatives of women and girls with
disabilities, business coaching, and
counseling, and identifying challenges
and solutions promptly to ensure
women and girls with disabilities
achieve economic and gender justice.
Both groups applauded IDIWA for
paving a way for them to develop
as they were awakened by such
projects, saying they will prioritise
their development as a means to end
violence in their households.
Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)

A RAY OF HOPE FOR
CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
IN NAKALAMA SUB-COUNTY
Children with disabilities have the right
to study and achieve greater heights
and contribute to family, community,
and national development. However,
this is not the case for many children
with disabilities in Uganda.
The problem stems from the denial
of the right to education as parents
and caregivers prioritize non-disabled
children for education, and other basic
needs, and high levels of poverty
resulting in an inability to pay for
education.
Studies have revealed that lack of
education strongly increases the level
of income poverty, and reduces the
parental ability to pay for uniforms,
and other items required for children
to attend schools despite the tuition
being free under the Government
of Uganda (GoU) Universal Primary
Education (UPE) initiative.
Integrated Disabled Women
Activities (IDIWA) with support
from Katalemwa Cheshire Home
has aligned several interventions to
support the education of children
with disabilities to enable them to
continue with their studies for a
brighter future.
IDIWA donated scholastic materials
Annual Newsletter 2023
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and paid school fees for 10 children children with disabilities.
with disabilities from Nakigo
Noerine Naigaga, the IDIWA Child
Nubuwati, Nakalama, Hillside Ways,
Empowerment Program Officer
Namundudi, and Iganga Bright
(CEO PO) appeals to Government
star in Nakalama and Nakigo sub-
to Inclusive Education a reality, and
counties in Iganga District. The
parents and caregivers to keep
materials included books, pens,
children with disabilities in school so
pencils, brooms, and sanitary pads
that they achieve their full potential.
among others. The target schools
were audited for accessibility, and
the report is helping with advocacy
for an accessible build environment,
braille material for blind children, and
sign language communication for the
deaf. Children with physical disabilities
were provided with wheelchairs to
ease mobility.
Parents and caregivers were trained
on human rights, disability, and
entrepreneurship to enable provide
adequate care of children with
disabilities, and engage authorities and
school administrators on the most
pressing issues affecting the education
of children with disabilities.
Parents and caregivers were supported
with goats for rearing as a household
income generating activity, and have
formed a group that is helping them to
keep together, support one another
to cope with daily challenges, and
make saving for the future of their
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FEMINISTS/WOMEN’S RIGHTS MOVEMENT TO END
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN BUSOGA SUBREGION
The IDIWA Movement Building
component seeks to strengthen the
capacity of IDIWA organs, Women
and Girls with Disabilities’ Associations
and Groups, Organizations of
Persons with Disabilities, Feminist
and Women’s Rights Organizations
(WROs) for effective promotion of
Gender Equality and response to
SGBV against Women and Girls
with Disabilities through systemic
change initiatives. Young women and
girls with disabilities organisations
that are supporting and addressing
sexual violence among adolescent
girls with disabilities are also included
to harness creativity, organising
power, and the sense of solidarity
that is emerging in many communities
where more and deeper connections
are being woven despite organized
resistance and discrimination.
Women’s Rights are Human Rights!
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But women and girls with disabilities
are still disproportionately affected
by different forms of violence
in all aspects of life. IDIWA has
invited 14 Women and Girls with
Disabilities Organizations and
Groups, Organizations of Persons
with Disabilities, and feminist and
Women’s Rights Organizations
(WROs) to focus on catalytic,
transformative, systemic change
which addresses the root barriers
preventing gender equality, rather
than seeking to change women to
adapt to discriminatory systems.
Deploying a movement-building
approach, IDIWA has spearheaded
the formation of Busoga GBV and
Disability Rights Network (GBVDR
NET) to center and elevate
strategies that are deliberate and
intersectional in shifting power
relations, transforming gender norms,
Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)
Members of Busoga GBV and
Disability Rights Network.JPG
surfacing invisible issues weaving the
intricate connections between visible
SGBV/Disability and invisible SGBV/
Disability issues including:
The Network brings together
Women and Girls with Disabilities
Organizations and Groups,
Organizations of Persons with
Disabilities and Women’s Rights
Organizations (WROs), Media
Houses, Individual Journalists, and
Individuals to effectively promote
Gender Equality and response to
SGBV against WGDs through
systemic change initiatives.
The coalition has a strategic
partnership with Busoga Kingdom
(Obwa Kyabazinga bwa Busoga)
on girl child education and gender
transformative approaches (GTA),
Sexual Reproductive Health and
Rights, (SRHR), and Gender Based

GBV &Disabilty Rights Network During Training on Network Operations.JPG
Violence (GBV), which has increased
program outreach and support for
WGDs.
According to Ms. Elizabeth Kayanga,
in the first five years, the Busoga
GBV and Disability Rights Network
will focus on Power Building which
includes:
Bupeople’s people power: mobilizing
and sustaining a grassroots base (of
women and girls, with emphasis on
survivors and those facing multiple
intersecting forms of discrimination)
and galvanizing large-scale public
support. It includes consciousness-
raising, engaging new participants,
and training movement leaders and
members (e.g. public sand peaking,
advocacy skills). Movement leadership:
Creating a core leadership structure
and organizational infrastructures,
whereby leaders and representatives
are selected to interact with
institutions, government, and other
movements; Structuring collective
Annual Newsletter 2023
IDIWA ED Empasises a Point during Institutional Development Training.JPG
power by organizing the constituency
into units or groups that channel
their collective power in strategic
ways; Building network power via
strong alliances with diverse groups,
to jointly articulate the movement
vision and goals, set agendas, and take
action; and Building narrative power-
Working to influence mainstream
culture, media, social narratives, and
norms.
Increasing awareness on the right
to choose, amplifying one’s voice,
freedom from fear and violence,
ability to access SRHR health facilities,
and information to organizations and
individuals that provide support to
accessing a broad range of SGBV
information and services, and political
consciousness, agency, questioning
the invisible power keeps women
and girls behind.
Supporting Women Human Rights
Defenders’ well-being, safety, and
security initiatives as they face
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resistance and backlash while formally
and informally challenging the current
SGBV/SRHR status quo. This includes
any activities that enable fostering a
culture of collective care, healing, and
protection for (AWHRDs).
Challenging informal discriminatory
norms and deep structures, including
those that maintain inequality in
everyday practices e.g., culture,
religion, and social norms that define
what is acceptable and often remain
invisible powers that still hold people
back and constrain SRHR work even
when people know.
Challenging formal rules, and
influencing changes in laws and
policies on GBV and SRHR, as these
are located as sites of change that
influence informal power and political
commitment towards an enabling
legal and policy environment for the
protection of survivors and prevention
of GBV, and total enjoyment of SRHR.
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Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA)
P.o. Box 556, Iganga, Plot 10 Jalum Road, Northern
Division, Iganga Municipality
+256 772 449 270 office@idiwaug.org
www.idiwaug.org