Australian Women With Disabilities Win Violence Prevention Award

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) was one of four recipients of the National Violence Prevention Award, presented in October at Parliament House in Canberra. The Australian Violence Prevention Awards are sponsored by the Heads of Australian Governments as a joint Commonwealth, State and Territory initiative and are designed to reward the most outstanding projects for the prevention or reduction of violence in Australia.

Ms Fiona Strahan, from Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA), accepted the Award "in memory of all the women with disabilities who have experienced violence and for those who were able to say 'It has to stop' and 'It can be different'."

The work that culminated in the $10,000 Award for Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) included:

á        The Woorarra Women's Refuge Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) Action Plan;

á        'More Than Just A Ramp' - a model process for refugees to remove discriminatory barriers in their buildings, work practices, information and attitudes;

á        A National two-day workshop on violence against women with disabilities, attended by women with disabilities, domestic violence and other workers, and academics;

á        A National Information Kit on women with disabilities and violence; and

á        A National Internet site incorporating accessible information on violence and women with disabilities.

Ms Strahan spoke of the impact that this work has had on policies and programs both in Australia and around the world. She also gave recognition to women with disabilities around the country who had contributed to WWDA's work on preventing violence against women with disabilities: "This Award is
an acknowledgment of the unpaid agitation, research, policy work, lobbying, activism, political astuteness and intellectual rigour of the work of women with disabilities. I particularly like that we haven't won the 'Special' Award; the 'Otherness' Award or the 'Disability' Award - instead our work
stands loud, proud, passionate and leading edge for ALL women."

Contact: Carolyn Frohmader, Executive Director, Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA),
PO Box 229, Dickson 2602 ACT Australia; Tel: 02 62421310; Fax: 02 62421314; TTY: 02 62421313
web: http://www.wwda.org.au