AUTHER: BABIRYE KWAGALA BETTY, TASO UGANDA LTD. IAS, 2014 CONFERENCE 2O-25 JULY 2014 MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA Email: betty_kwagala89@yahoo.com

Outline Background Core objectives of the Network Mission statement of the Network Challenges facing women with Disabilities Inaccessibility of service centres TASO Disability mainstreaming program Results of TASO Disability study 2011 Next steps Acknowledgement

Background The establishment of POSITIVE WOMEN WITH DISABILITY’S NETWORK OF UGANDA was thought during the meeting of PAN AFRICAN POSITIVE WOMEN’S COALITION It was realized that women with disabilities infected with HIV are scattered in Uganda and Africa as a whole therefore, they need a unified voice. The network will be affiliated to Pan African Positive women’s coalition, and other organizations of women living with HIV at both nationally and internationally to address specific issues of women living with disabilities and HIV. In Uganda like some other countries in Africa there was no Network which targets women with disabilities living with HIV and AIDS.

Core objectives of the Network To advocate for the rights of positive women with disabilities in accessing health services; Elimination of mother to child transmission Reproductive health education, Post exposure prophylaxis for victims of sexual assault. To advocate for HIV prevention program and provide HIV related information in tailored formats for women with different disabilities. To involve women with disabilities in policy formation , planning, implementation and evaluation of HIV program. To ensure that women with disabilities are appropriately supported HIV training and engage them in HIV psycho -social and care provision.

Core objectives of the Network To provide adequate training and support for women with disabilities in households affected by HIV. To empower positive women with Disabilities economically, socially so as to promote sustainable Development To enhance the effective networking and partnership with different ministries, departments, and other AIDS agencies

Mission of the Network To contribute to the process of HIV prevention, reduction of stigma and discrimination among positive women with Disabilities

Challenges facing women with disabilities Poor accessibility to health centers Women with disabilities report cases of rape and defilement little or no follow up is done, this increases the rate at which they acquire HIV Poverty faced by women with disabilities is a risk factor to HIV/AIDS. Since most PWDs especially in rural areas are illiterate they can easily be taken up

Inaccessibility of service centres

Vulnerability of women With Disabilities is compounded by the social exclusion from; Lack of mainstreaming Disability in AIDS services No sign language interpretation IEC materials not in disability friendly formats e,g Braille Vague messages do not reach intellectual impairments The blind depend on other people. Governments and policy makers rarely consult Persons With Disabilities when enacting and reviewing policies

TASO Disability Mainstream TASO took significant steps to mainstream the disability issues in 2003 into their programs, a counselor with disabilities was employed to handle in HIV management. Some staff across the 11 centers were trained in sign language to cater for the deaf. TASO service centers are accessible unlike other service providers Different categories of persons with disabilities seek care and support from different TASO centers however, the exact proportions of different categories of disabilities were not known because DATA not captured until 2009

RESULTS OF THE DISABILITY STUDY IN TASO UGANDA Out of the 40,655 clients registered with TASO in the study period, 601(1.5%) were noted to have a disability, 239 (39.8%) were males while 362 (60.2%) were females. TASO serves 601(1.5%) PWDs compared to the general population in Uganda, where 10.4% PWDs (UBOS), The largest proportion of the disabled population was within a monogamous marriage 200 (33%), while 121 (20.1%) were widowed, 125 (20.8%) were separated/divorced, and 55 (9.2%) were in a polygamous marriage. The average age of the disabled population was 36.8 years

RESULTS OF THE DISABILITY STUDY IN TASO UGANDA New clients who were registered between Feb 15, 2011 and April 15, 2011 about 1,927 clients were interviewed, and 269 were physically disabled, 156 visually impaired, Hearing impaired 71, Mental Health 16, and Deaf Blind 2

Next Steps Future conferences include presentations on Disability issues in the plenary for wider outreach Promote and provide formal and informal sexual and reproductive health education to girls and women with disabilities, paying necessary attention to communication needs of deaf , blind, and accessibility to Physically Disabled HIV prevention, care and treatment programs need multidimensional approaches and a good-mix of skills to ensure women with disabilities receive equitable health services Women with disabilities living with HIV and AIDS agenda in the HIV/AIDS arena should be brought out clearly and linked to policy and programming To strengthen the National network in resource mobilization and networking at different levels.

Acknowledgement