NCPD Enhanced Program Combats Gender-Based Violence Against Women with Disabilities

By Simon Manda

Johannesburg- As South Africa remembers the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) has further reinforced efforts to end violence faced by women and girls with disabilities through a multi-pronged approach of disability-centric GBV services, achieving justice and economic empowerment.

Due to economic dependency and societal seclusion, women and girls with disabilities are most likely to suffer from gender-based violence. NCPD also attempts to mitigate this challenge of gender-based violence, utilising its Enabled Women Arise Gender-Based Violence Program on targeted interventions and partnerships to tackle these multi-faceted issues.

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The project broke new ground by developing the country’s first comprehensive suite of disability-inclusive GBV resources. This included a pioneering Disability-GBV Training Handbook, an innovative screening toolkit, and groundbreaking Easy-to-Read materials for women with intellectual disabilities. These resources have already enabled the screening of over 200 women and girls for GBV, with 20 women with intellectual disabilities receiving specialised GBV education.

A cornerstone of EWA’s success has been its extensive training program within the Criminal Justice System. The project has equipped 362 South African Police Service officers, 137 Court Preparation Officers, and 47 Victim Assistance Officers with essential disability equity training. Additionally, 100 shelter staff members received specialised training, enhancing the accessibility and effectiveness of support services.

The project’s community impact has been equally impressive, with 20 disabled women trained as Community Peer Educators. These educators have facilitated 100 GBV awareness sessions across Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, the Western Cape, and the Free State, providing crucial counselling and psychosocial support to survivors.

EWA’s economic empowerment initiative has been particularly transformative. Through its enterprise hub (e-Hub), the project has supported 65 disabled-owned businesses with development workshops and digital presence enhancement. A strategic partnership with Google and Africa 118 has enabled 16 enterprises to establish verified Google Business listings, expanding their market reach.

“As we mark the 16 Days of Activism in 2024, I’m deeply moved by our progress in empowering women and girls with disabilities to claim their rightful place in both the economy and their communities. Through our initiative, we’ve witnessed a remarkable transformation—more women with disabilities are not only recognising gender-based violence but also accessing vital support services. Most importantly, we’re seeing the Criminal Justice System becoming more attuned to how GBV uniquely impacts women and girls with disabilities.” explains Tinashe Rubaba, NCPD Development Consultant and Project Lead.

“Our message to all stakeholders is clear: we must end the assumption that non-disablement is the only way to exist. Women with disabilities need the power to make their own decisions and represent themselves. We call on women’s rights organisations and activists to truly stand with women with disabilities in our shared fight for gender equality. We cannot achieve full equality, safety, or protection for women if women with disabilities remain South Africa’s forgotten sisters. The time has come to ensure that every woman, regardless of ability, is included in our journey toward a just society.”

The Council encourages a multi-stakeholder model in the fight against gender-based violence among women and girls with disabilities. A significant part of their design is raising coverage on disability- and gender-sensitive language wherever messages are conveyed, working together with police services, criminal justice and social services, and community-based organisations, as well as South African Sign Language interpreters.

According to the NCPD technical report of July 2024, women and girls with disabilities have to deal with more violence at home, waiting to only receive an outcry for assistance as discrimination against gender. The Council believes the need arises when violence comes into the displacement.

There are accounts of many who even find it hard to physically get to the reporting facilities because the police stations and support centres often do not have facilities for physically challenged people. And when they successfully file a report, they are often met with justice officials who further expect the witness to be of good repute and great integrity, which is an unnecessary hurdle for them in seeking justice.

The circumstance is even more difficult for Deaf women and girls, who, on their part, are often unable to express the details of their narratives because of the overwhelming shortage of South African Sign Language interpreters across the justice system. This unfortunate circumstance obstructs them from giving credible statements as well as receiving suitable assistance.

The report demonstrates the existence of disabling attitudes towards service providers, including social workers and law enforcers, who also possess the behaviour of scorn towards women with disabilities, especially intellectual disabilities. It can be summed up from the previous complaints that these disabled women do face barriers to access; they are largely due to physical infrastructure. Most police stations do not meet the minimum requirements of having such features as ramps, victim-friendly rooms, and appropriate mobility to address women who have mobility issues.

Furthermore, existing support policies are focused on the general aspects of disability and neglect the specific needs of women and girls that are disabled.

Due to the absence of the requisite inclusive supporting agencies, there is a continuous cycle of vulnerability amongst many victims and their silence from reporting, which promotes the unaccounted actions of the perpetrators.

“The program was quite an eye-opener. We realised there is a critical need to provide safe spaces for persons with disabilities who may have encountered GBV. The program helped participants identify vulnerable situations and recognise signs from potential perpetrators, whether in family settings, romantic relationships, or with caregivers,” says Ingrid Bame, NCPD Program Facilitator.

“Persons with disabilities often face unique challenges with GBV, as they may be taken advantage of or considered unable to recognise abuse. We need nationwide support from government and civil society to extend this program further. As we approach the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, it’s crucial that we ensure the justice system properly protects and safeguards persons with disabilities from gender-based violence.”

The Council recognises the significance of its corporate partners in ensuring the sustainability of these initiatives. With the aid of recent R3 million donations from Clicks SA, NCPD has been able to allocate some funds to its GBV initiatives, which have increased reach among more women and girls with disabilities in the underserved areas. Past funders of the program include Global Affairs Canada, Genderlinks, and L’Oréal Fund for Women.

“The kindly support from Clicks SA leaves us with no words to express our gratitude,” goes on Rubaba. “This type of funding is instrumental in confronting the vicious cycle of violence since it is geared towards women with disabilities through skills training, placement, and other supportive services.”

NCPD urges other corporations to supplement this campaign:

• Financial assistance for GBV prevention programs in South Africa
• Employment opportunities for women with disabilities
• Implementation of workplace accommodations
• Provision of disability management training
• Promotion of disability sensitive health provision

NCPD subscribes to the vision of an equitable South Africa where women and girls with disabilities are not discriminated against, there is no violence towards them, and all economic and justice systems are open to them.

The Council calls on all shared actors to engage with this important work during the 16 Days of Activism and afterwards.

For more information on how to engage in NCPD’s GBV’s prevention activities or to offer partnership opportunities, kindly call the NCPD office on 011 452 2774 and/or check NCPD’s website, www.ncpd.org.za