In rural Nepal, women with disabilities continue to be deprived their right to vote. This project aims to: 1. Increase knowledge about inclusive elections among 600 Dalit ("untouchable") women with severe disabilities in six rural districts of Nepal, their families, Disabled People Organizations, service providers, and Nepal's Election Commission; 2. Influence decision makers in the justice system on how to develop inclusive election systems specific to women with severe disabilities.
In many parts of Nepal, especially in the 6 project districts (Dolkha, Gorkha, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Kanchanpur, and Dadeldhura), disability is still attributed to past wrongdoing, by parents or even by persons with disabilities themselves. In these districts, women with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities are barred from religious and cultural events like wedding ceremonies and other formal occasions, as their presence is thought to bring bad luck.
This project intends to: 1. Provide tools, such as advocacy services to women with disabilities and their families in order to initiate positive change on right to make decisions. Advocacy is a key to empower persons with severe disabilities to make decisions for themselves and ensuring their rights are respected by others; 2. Identify and challenge the barriers rural women with disabilities face in exercising their right to equal recognition before the law and political participation.
Long-term Impact: 1) the goal of this initiative is to develop enduring impact, engage key government departments for sustaining the inclusion of women with disabilities, build networks, and provide ongoing training; 2) the anticipated law reform process will create an obligation on the State to ensure right to vote for women with disabilities on an equal basis with others.
