Diwa and Macoda engage extra gear to Empower Women with Disabilities in Africa

The Disabled Women in Africa (Diwa) has teamed up with the Malawi Council for Disability Affairs (MACODA) to eliminate the remaining barriers hindering the rights of people with disabilities in Africa.

“This initiative aims to strengthen disability advocates and mainstream actors in efforts to combat violence against women and girls with disabilities.” said Diwa Executive Director Ruth Mkutumula, addressing a two-day training session in Blantyre on Wednesday.

In his remarks, Director General of the Malawi Council for Disability Affairs (Macoda), George Chiusiwa, emphasized the importance of providing support to women with disabilities who have experienced violence.

“This initiative will assist women with disabilities to know how and where to get support once violence occurs, among other motivational areas,” he said.

Chiusiwa added that the initiative is vital for creating a significant impact among women with disabilities, helping them to build courage and self-esteem.

As one of the beneficiaries, Chairperson for the National Network of Girls and Women with Disability in Malawi, Esther Mbite, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative.

“This will be a mindset opener for us, we will extend it to our communities,” she said.

The initiative, organized by Diwa, is part of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) movement in Eastern and Southern Africa, supported by funding from the United Nations Trust Fund.