The Shanta Memorial Rehabilitation Centre (SMRC) in association with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Population Services International (PSI) organised a convention for women and youths with disabilities to showcase their leadership skills here on Friday.
USAID Deputy Mission Director Ramona M El Hamzaoui said women with disabilities face more challenging set of circumstances as they are more at risk to experience gender-based violence, sexual abuse, exploitation and discrimination because of their gender and disability status.
The USAID feels proud to work with the SMRC to help women with disabilities to take on life’s challenges with a renewed confidence in themselves, their abilities and their dignity, she added.
A young girl with disabilities, lobha, shared that women with disabilities are no more a burden on the society or family as they can stand on their own feet and earn money.
She urged her friends and other young girls and women that they should not be disheartened as they can also live in the society as other human beings making their confidence level high.
SMRC advisory board chairman Dr Aurobindo Behera, Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Joint Secretary Deba Prasad Dash, SMRC board member Chumki Datta, PSI COO Dr Sanjay Kumar Pandey, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Odisha head Abha Mishra also spoke on the occasion.
200 women and youth with disabilities from Gujarat, Karnataka and Odisha participated and shared their success stories. A poster on domestic violence and a video on PWDV Act 2005 were released on the occasion.