Women Leaders from Pakistan Travel to Eugene, Oregon, USA

Women with and without disabilities in leadership positions are changing the face of women’s rights in Pakistan and are sharing their expertise, efforts and experiences with the U.S. community in Eugene, Oregon from May 8-22, 2014.

Representing international and local disabled people’s organizations, government agencies, and women’s rights organizations – delegates are engaging in direct dialogue with U.S. counterparts to share expertise in the areas of education, gender equality, political participation, policy reform, youth leadership, and health. The goal is to identify effective strategies for mainstreaming inclusive practices in all programs.

Delegates also are conducting a series of meetings with international development professionals to exchange information and resources. The purpose is to strengthen efforts to fully include women and girls with disabilities in all aspects of humanitarian, disaster, and relief programs.

“[As a woman with a disability in Pakistan] I have been engaged in the activities of the disability movement since 1997. I want to learn how to create strong collaboration and networking between women’s organizations and other disabled and non-disabled forums.” Abia Akram, Chair Person, National Forum of Women with Disabilities (NFWWD)

“My key role is to build the capacity of humanitarian actors and stakeholders. This training will be critical to my contribution to the [disability movement] in Pakistan and also to mainstream people with disabilities into humanitarian and disaster risk reduction (DRR) programs.” Hadia Nusrat, Gender Equality Advisor, UN Women

Organizations represented among the delegation include: