🌍December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Standing Against Gender-Based Violence, Promoting Inclusion, and Protecting Rights

Today, we honor the strength, resilience, and contributions of persons with disabilities across our communities. This day reminds us that disability is not a limitation, exclusion is. When societies are accessible, inclusive, and respectful, everyone can participate fully and equally.

Let us commit to breaking barriers, promoting accessibility, and ensuring that persons with disabilities have the same opportunities, rights, and dignity as everyone else. Inclusion is not charity, it is justice.

Together, we can build a world where every ability is valued, every voice is heard, and every person is empowered.

“Nothing about us, without us.”

On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, ENWS stands in solidarity with women and girls with disabilities, one of the groups most vulnerable to gender-based violence (GBV). Disability should never be a barrier to safety, dignity, or equal participation, yet many women with disabilities face discrimination, isolation, and increased risks of abuse in both public and private spaces.

As a national network committed to ending violence against women and girls, ENWS works to ensure that GBV services are accessible, survivor-centered, and inclusive. We strengthen the capacity of member shelters, promote collaboration, and advocate for policies that protect the rights of all women, including those with disabilities. ENWS continues to mobilize resources, support shelters, share knowledge, and respond to humanitarian crises with a focus on the unique needs of women and girls living with disabilities.

Today, we renew our commitment to:

• Promote inclusive GBV prevention and response services,
• Strengthen community awareness to challenge stigma and discrimination,
• Ensure that women and girls with disabilities are heard, protected, and empowered,
• Advocate for a VAWG-free Ethiopia, where every woman and girl can live with dignity and freedom.

Inclusion is protection. Accessibility is justice. Equality is our shared responsibility.