REDUCING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES
Over the last five years, while implementing our Leave No Girl Behind project in Malawi, we have become increasingly aware of the extraordinarily high levels of sexual violence against women and girls with physical and learning disabilities.
We have also become aware of the extreme challenges women and girls with disabilities face when trying to report abuse, and to seek justice and care.
The “Ifenso” project was set up to enable TfaC to respond in more targeted ways to the needs of these women and girls.
“Ifenso” means “us, too” in Chichewa. The phrase “us, too” is a powerful call for the voices and experiences of women and girls with disabilities who have survived sexual abuse to be heard, understood and acted upon.
Using interactive theatre and radio, the project enables women and girls with disabilities who have experienced sexual violence to have their voices heard and demand their rights to be recognised and met.
The project partners with individual women and girls, their families and communities; local disabled people’s organisations within the country; and structural influencers within the Police, legal, health and education sectors.
We are grateful to the Oak Foundation for their support of this vital work.
An audience member intervenes to defend the rights of a girl with disabilities in the story.
An audience member (in orange) challenges the treatment of the girl with a disability in the story.
A crowd gathers for an Interactive Theatre performance in Lilongwe, Malawi.