New York, USA – March 2025
Disabled Women in Africa (DIWA) proudly hosted a parallel event during the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York under the theme:
“Powerful Yet Overlooked: African Women, Diversity, and Inclusion in Beijing +30.”
The event was organized in collaboration with the Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW) and Humanity & Inclusion (Making It Work), with funding support from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women and Sonke Gender Justice under UN Women’s ACT Program.
Moderated by Virginia Mzunzu, DIWA’s Program Manager, the session featured a diverse and inspiring panel of leaders:
- Dr. Fatuma Ali, Board Chair, COVAW, Kenya
- Robinah Alambuya, Executive Director, Triumph Uganda Mental Health Support, Uganda
- Gaudence Mushimiyimana, Executive Director, UNABU, Rwanda
The highlight of the event was a keynote speech by Ruth Mkutumula, Executive Director of Disabled Women in Africa (DIWA), who reflected on 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Ruth’s address powerfully underscored the resilience, leadership, and determination of African women with disabilities in breaking barriers across political, economic, and social spheres.
“Thirty years after Beijing, the fight for inclusion continues,” Ruth declared. “Women with disabilities have contributed immensely to development, yet remain at the margins of policy and power. It is time to move from symbolic inclusion to real participation, where women with disabilities are not only consulted but lead decision-making at every level.”
Her remarks set the tone for a vibrant discussion that examined the progress and persistent challenges affecting women and girls with disabilities in Africa. Ruth emphasized the need for governments to move from ratification to implementation, ensuring that frameworks such as CEDAW, the African Disability Protocol (ADP), and the Maputo Protocol are fully enforced, resourced, and monitored.
Virginia Mzunzu, moderating the session, reinforced the importance of cross-movement collaboration, noting that “inclusion is not an act of charity, it is justice.”
Panelists shared deep insights on the intersection of gender, disability, and inequality:
Robinah Alambuya shared her lived experiences as a woman with a psychosocial disability, calling for an end to institutionalization and the dismantling of systemic barriers that continue to exclude women from public life. Dr. Fatuma Ali highlighted gaps in GBV policies affecting women with disabilities in Kenya and the need for increased funding to scale community-based prevention and response initiatives. Gaudence Mushimiyimana concluded with a call to action, urging governments, donors, and civil society to move beyond rhetoric to concrete measures that ensure accessibility, leadership, and justice for women with disabilities.
The event also showcased DIWA’s groundbreaking report,
“Powerful Yet Overlooked: African Women with Disabilities and the Ongoing Struggle for Inclusion, 30 Years After Beijing,”
developed with Humanity & Inclusion (HI), the International Disability Alliance (IDA), and the World Federation of the Deaf. The report provides a critical analysis of achievements and gaps in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action from the perspective of African women with disabilities.
Despite minor connectivity challenges, the event drew over 30 in-person participants and generated rich dialogue, solidarity, and networking, including cross-continental engagement with representatives from Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA).
“Our presence at CSW69 symbolized power in unity,” Ruth concluded. “When women with disabilities lead, the feminist movement becomes stronger, more inclusive, and truly transformative.”
About the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the UN’s principal global intergovernmental body dedicated to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. This year’s theme of CSW69 focused on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, reviewing global progress and strengthening commitments to gender equality.
use the links below to view the videos:
documentary link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rcrYUAc5-fCYHRFZAKhrWhVOpSPvFmft/view?usp=drive_web
