Women With Disabilities Australia Under Threat

by Carolyn Frohmader
Executive Director
Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)
PO Box 229, Dickson ACT 2602
Ph: 02 62421310 Fax: 02 62421314 Mobile: 0407 301 746
Web: http://www.wwda.org.au
 

The Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) recently released a Discussion Paper on the future funding structure for peak bodies currently funded through FACS. The Paper, entitled "Funding Peak Bodies - A
Discussion Paper" proposes a new model which would see a number of existing peak bodies disappear.

The paper suggests disability peaks could be arranged by diagnostic group: Physical, Intellectual, Neurological, Sensory, and Psychiatric Disabilities.

Once again, the disability sector has been cast in a medical 'deficit' model despite the rhetoric of "social and economic participation" in this Discussion Paper and the government's recent Welfare Reform Discussion Paper. The model is underpinned by a principle of distribution of resources across the peak bodies which would presumably remove funds from the disability peaks in 'fairness' to sectors that receive lesser funding.

Clearly the disability sector should not be disadvantaged in order to meet the resource needs of other sectors.

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA), currently funded by FACS, does not fit into the Government's proposed model. IN FACT, IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT UNDER SUCH A MODEL, WWDA WILL BE DE-FUNDED.

WWDA was established in 1994 to address the particular disadvantage of women with disabilities. It is the only peak organisation for women with disabilities in Australia, and one of only a very small number internationally. WWDA has over 2,000 members, and is inclusive of all disabilities. The success of this national organisation run largely on the voluntary efforts of women with disabilities with only a small infrastructure is demonstrated by its impressive publications and its awards:

Winner: The Australian Violence Prevention Award 1999
Winner: The ACT Violence Prevention Award 1999
Winner: Capital Region Enterprise & Employment Development Assoc Special Recognition Award 1999
Currently nominated for the United Nations Millennium Peace Prize for Women Award 2000

Speaking on leadership and mentoring skills development, Senator Jocelyn Newman (Minister for Family & Community Services, and Minister for the Status of Women) recently stated "I am delighted to be informed that WWDA's work in this area is receiving international as well as corporate recognition."

THE MOST DISADVANTAGED UNDER THREAT

Once again groups that have been marginalised in the past (women, indigenouspeople and people from culturally diverse backgrounds) have been relegated to compete in the mainstream program areas. The needs of these particularly disadvantaged groups have only begun to be addressed by specified funding grants.

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) is a case in point, established to respond to the particular concerns of women with disabilities. Women with disabilities are, from the government record, one of the most marginalized groups in Australia. They:

- are less likely to be in paid work than other women or men with disabilities. Men with disabilities are almost twice as likely to have jobs than women with disabilities;
- earn less than their male counterparts. 51% of women with a disability earn less than $200 per week, only 16% of women with a disability earn over $400 per week
- are less likely than their male counterparts to receive a senior secondary and/or tertiary education. Only 16% of all women with disabilities are likely to have any secondary education compared to 28% of men with disabilities;
- are less likely to own their own houses than their male counterparts;
- pay the highest level of their gross income on housing;
- are more likely to be institutionalised than their male counterparts;
- regardless of age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or class are assaulted, raped and abused at a rate of at least two times greater than non-disabled women;
- often to live in situations in which they are vulnerable to violence;
- are more likely to experience violence at work than other women, men with disabilities or the population as a whole;
- are more likely to be unlawfully sterilised than their male counterparts;
- are less likely to receive vocational rehabilitation or entry to labour market programs;
- report a greater need for unmet help than their male counterparts;
- are less likely to receive appropriate services than men with equivalent needs or other women.

(Anderson 1996; Frohmader 1998; WWDA 1998; ABS 1993).

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) plays a vital role in providing a voice for women with disabilities at a policy, program and service level and in communicating their needs directly to government. This role is not fulfilled by any other organisation in the disability or women's sector. Individual and systemic advocacy undertaken by WWDA plays an important role in assisting women with disabilities to exercise full citizenship and should be supported by government to do so.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Read the Discussion Paper available from WWDA's web site:
http://www.wwda.org.au/facs.htm

Write, fax or email your response to:
Director, Government and Community Team (CW2)
Partnership and Service Delivery Branch,
Dept of Family and Community Services,
PO Box 7788, Canberra Mail Exchange, ACT 2610
Fax + 61 2 6244 7321
Email: peakbodydiscussionpaper@facs.gov.au

Or ring, email, fax or write to:
Senator Jocelyn Newman
Minister for Family & Community Services
Minister for the Status of Women
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Ph: +61 2 6277 7560
Fax: + 61 2 6273 4122
Email: senator.newman@aph.gov.au