Agnes

Agnes is the executive director of Deaf Women Included, an organisation of people with disabilities based in Zimbabwe.

“People with disabilities, specifically women and girls, face so many barriers. Our culture sometimes leaves women and girls with disabilities out. We are only included when there is a focus on gender-based violence issues. We don’t have a voice and there is no gender equality. For women with disabilities, they are looked down upon and many of their rights are infringed.

“My organisation focuses a lot on research. We need information which is up to standard. Women and girls with disabilities face various challenges, so we find the gaps in knowledge. We then do training to bridge those gaps in education, rights and even justice.

“We also do advocacy work. We focus on various policies where we can say that women and girls with disabilities should stand up for themselves. They should have a voice.

“We work together with community leaders, like chiefs or faith-based leaders. We work with them to empower women and girls with disabilities so that the chiefs and leaders are aware of the challenges being faced by women and girls in their communities.

“Collaboration with other organisations is essential because we can establish networks and then advocate, lobby and campaign together. We have to unite and work together as we can’t reach every community if we are working in silos. Working together with other organisations also helps build capacity and share knowledge.

“My message to people with disabilities is that we must showcase that we can do so many things. We must have confidence in ourselves.

“We must also do research and know our rights and the law. We must understand where the law is being broken. If we don’t know the law or our rights then it’s very easy for people to abuse us.

“Finally, we need community inclusion for everybody. This will help to develop the whole community. We need to empower all people with disabilities, be it economically, or physically. We have to work together.”