The Deaf Bulletin 2016 Issue 2
International Women’s Day.
Every year on the 8th of March, the world commemorates International Women’s Day. The 2016 theme is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”. It envisions a world where men and women are considered equal in all aspects by 2030 and calls on the world to step up initiatives towards realizing this vision. International Women’s Day is hinged upon the need for all women to be treated with dignity and as equal to their male counterparts.
It celebrates the strides that have been taken to ensure equality for men and women and at the same time highlights the need for continued efforts to ensure that this becomes a reality for marginalized women. Women with disability in Zimbabwe face a double burden of being disabled and being female in a patriarchal society. This means that they are marginalized because of their gender and because of their disability. In many cases they are often victims of abuse in their families and the communities in which they live.
As the world commemorates International Women’s Day under the theme Planet 50-50 by 2030 it is important to call to mind the unique position that women with disabilities face and ensure their inclusion so that this vision is achieved. True equality in the world can only be realized when women, particularly those with disability are treated as equal citizens whose rights and interests are respected. They should be afforded equal opportunities especially in education so that they can be empowered to live independently and as productive members of society.
Other topics covered in this bulletin are:
- International Mother Language Day-Mother Tongue March.
- Health Watch – Tuberculosis.
- Basic Sign language training for social work students.