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Harmful cultural beliefs and practices, stigma and discrimination towards women and girls with disabilities: a toolkit for change

UNESCO OFFICE HARARE
UNITED NATIONS PARTNERSHIP TO PROMOTE THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
2020

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This toolkit serves to highlight the intersection between gender, culture and disability. Following the completion of a study titled Advancing the rights of women and girls with disabilities in Zimbabwe, a review of the interface of culture, gender and disability in Zimbabwe, it was evident that there were cultural and social issues not being adequately addressed in communities. 

This toolkit was formulated based on the study findings, dialogue with key disability stakeholders and principles of the CRPD.

The following is a list of the key articles from the CRPD that form the base of this toolkit:

  • Article 3: General principles (8 in total)
  • Article 6: Women with disabilities
  • Article 8: Awareness raising
  • Article 13: Access to justice
  • Article 23: Respect for home and the family
  • Article 25: Health

This toolkit strives to empower the trainer and the trainee(s) on the virtues encapsulated in the CRPD by localizing the concepts at community level in Zimbabwe.

Human rights and disability: A manual for national human rights institutions

CROWTHER, Neil
QUINN, Gerard
REKAS, Abigail
March 2017

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(Updated Dec 2018)

This Manual is designed to provide practical guidance for national human rights institutions (NHRIs) that are actively working to advance the human rights of persons with disabilities, as well as those NHRIs that are seeking to strengthen their efforts in this area. This Manual provides practical guidance and recommendations about how the role and functions of NHRIs can be directed to provide better protection for persons with disabilities, to promote greater awareness and respect for their rights, and to monitor the progress made and obstacles encountered in advancing their rights.

There are three parts to the manual.

  • Part I: The concepts - the human rights framing of disability
  • Part II: The law - international human rights law and disability (CRPD and others)
  • Part III: The practice - what NHRIs can do to contribute to the process of change

 

 

Disability inclusion : topic guide

ROHWERDER, Brigitte
November 2015

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This topic guide summarises evidence on the key debates and challenges of disability inclusion in development and humanitarian response. Disability does not necessary imply limited wellbeing and poverty. Yet there is growing evidence that the estimated one billion people with disabilities face attitudinal, physical and institutional barriers that result in multi-dimensional poverty, exclusion and marginalisation. Disability inclusion could increase earnings, tax revenues, and individual and societal wellbeing. It need not be costly or complicated. Inclusive approaches are more cost-effective than piecemeal disability interventions. GSDRC Topic Guides aim to provide a clear, concise and objective report on findings from rigorous research on critical areas of development policy. Their purpose is to inform policymakers and practitioners of the key debates and evidence on the topic of focus, to support informed decision-making

Available in both pdf and online versions

Freedom guide : paving the way towards free movement for people with disabilities

NYMAN, Maria
CHAMAYOU, Agnès
Eds
December 2011

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"This publication provides an overview of the implications of the rights recognised by the European Union Treaties linked to Free movement of persons, goods and services, for persons with disabilities. The Freedom Guide concretely aims to illustrate the fact that Freedom of movement is still not a reality for persons with disabilities. On the other hand, it also highlights that the internal market is still a place of exclusion due to the continued circulation of inaccessible goods and services. This must change, to ensure that all citizens can enjoy their human and civil rights. The UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) provides for an instrumental framework to establish a more inclusive society"
Note: Easy read version is available 68-73 p

Guidelines to reduce stigma : guide 2|How to assess health-related stigma

VOOREND, Carlijn
et al
2011

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"This guide is part of a series of four Guides to reduce stigma. The guides are for all managers, health and social workers and service staff who have to deal with stigma in leprosy and other health conditions. These Guides provide evidence-based and best-practice information from different disciplines, and recommendations for field workers on how to reduce stigma against and among affected persons and in the community...The second Guide describes when and how to assess stigma using qualitative and quantitative methods and instruments. It also explains how to use the instruments"

Guidelines to reduce stigma : guide 3|A roadmap to stigma reduction : an empowerment intervention

CROSS, Hugh
et al
2011

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"This guide is part of a series of four Guides to reduce stigma. The guides are for all managers, health and social workers and service staff who have to deal with stigma in leprosy and other health conditions. These Guides provide evidence-based and best-practice information from different disciplines, and recommendations for field workers on how to reduce stigma against and among affected persons and in the community...The third Guide provides recommendations on how to develop an approach for reducing stigma. Through the use of a roadmap, several steps are discussed for reducing stigma related to a particular health condition"

Guidelines to reduce stigma : guide 4|Counseling to reduce stigma

AUGUSTINE, Valsa
et al
2011

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"This guide is part of a series of four Guides to reduce stigma. The guides are for all managers, health and social workers and service staff who have to deal with stigma in leprosy and other health conditions. These Guides provide evidence-based and best-practice information from different disciplines, and recommendations for field workers on how to reduce stigma against and among affected persons and in the community...The fourth guide explains the use of counselling at a basic level in dealing with stigma. It provides an explanation on different techniques and approaches for counselling persons affected by stigma"

Child-headed households and human rights : a capacity building guide

HULLEY, Charlotte
November 2006

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"The book is aimed at providing information and ideas to help build stronger more sustainable [civil society organisations] CSOs and [community-based organisations] CBOs, in order to tackle the issues related to child-headed households and violence... Its objectives are to: * Strengthen the protection and care of vulnerable children through human rights education relating to social justice issues; * Enable users of this book to develop an understanding and respect for vulnerable children’s rights and responsibilities as citizens; * Enable CSOs and CBOs to challenge and develop action plans and to develop policies to advocate change locally; and * Emphasise the holistic support of children within a rights-based model of support. This model focuses on the whole child and promotes the effective realisation of their rights"

A handbook on mainstreaming disability

JONES, Daniel
WEBSTER, Li
2006

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This handbook offers practical guidance and support to development organisations to mainstream disability in their work. It is drawn from the experience of VSO DREAM-IT (Disability Rights, Empowerment, Awareness & Mobilisation Indonesia & Thailand), a five-year disability programme carried out jointly by VSO Indonesia and VSO Thailand. Each chapter addresses a key issue: discrimination and stigma; organisational commitment; sensitisation; workplace mainstreaming; programme mainstreaming - both to include disabled people in programme management processes and in other programme areas and sectors; and policy

HIV & AIDS - stigma and violence reduction intervention manual

DUVVURY, Nata
PRASAD, Nandini
KISHORE, Nanda
2006

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This manual is a guide for community-based organisations to facilitate a community-led and -owned process that addresses stigma and gender-based violence in HIV & AIDS prevention efforts. It is based on findings from the Stigma and Violence Reduction Intervention (SVRI) project, conducted in Andhra Pradesh, India from 2003 to 2005. It is divided into sections: a discussion of three tools that can be used in participatory development projects (participatory learning and action, community-led action research (CLAR) and transformatory workshops); a general guide for implementing community-led action research; a description of the CLAR process among the key populations of the SVRI project and the plans of action that they developed based on this process; the challenges and lessons learned in implementing a community-owned process to address stigma and gender-based violence, and some conclusions. Appendices provide a sample toolkit with a series of workshops designed for the populations who participated in the SVRI project. Although designed specifically for this project, the activities and format could be adapted for use by similar projects working with other populations or in other countries

Psychosocial support training manual

WALKER, Lynn
2005

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This document recognises that psychosocial support for children affected by HIV and AIDS is as important as responding to their material needs. It explores children's experience of loss and grief, and suggests ways to deal with aggressive behaviour and to overcome stigma and discrimination. Some of the topics discussed are accompanied by useful handouts. It is designed as a training tool for professionals working directly with children or in community building projects

Guidelines for reducing stigma and discrimination and enhanacing care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS

KHAN, Naira
LOEWENSON, Rene
2005

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In many communities, stigma and fear of discrimination often exacerbate the impact of the AIDS epidemic and prevent people living with HIV (PLWH) from accessing support services. This document, commissioned by SANASO, and incorporating inputs from faith-based organisations, union representatives, people living with HIV and the media, examines how to address stigma and discrimination in key settings of social life, such as the family, the workplace, faith-based organisations, and the media. It suggests good practices, policies or behavioural changes which should foster a supportive environment for PLWH and improve the general response to HIV and AIDS

Making a difference : training materials to promote diversity and tackle discrimination

SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND UK
2005

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These training materials are designed to help programme staff analyse how discrimination impacts on the lives of children. They encourage NGO staff to understand and embrace the principles of diversity, the underlying causes of discrimination against any group and the approaches they can use to include such issues in their programme and advocacy work, from planning, to implementation, to evaluation. The material is organised into four sequential 'stages': awareness, analysis, action, and gathering information. These stages take staff through: 1. feeling comfortable about taking on work to promote diversity and tackle discrimination, including understanding why it is so important 2. understanding what makes humanity 'diverse' (multiple identities) 3. understanding where discrimination comes from (the cycle of oppression) 4. the concept of 'barriers' to see how unequal power relations are manifested in reality 5. potential ways to break down barriers 6. tying all of these stages together into a framework to help staff analyse their context and work. 7. putting into place the foundations for action on diversity and non-discrimination. Though designed spefically for Save the Children staff, these materials are readily adaptable to other organisational contexts

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