DisAbled Women's Network Canada

Published purpose

Through this 20-month project, DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada (DAWN Canada) will create communities of practice to increase collaborations between women with disabilities and build networks to support the development of leadership roles for women with disabilities within them and beyond. Communities of practice members will participate in training on advocacy and policy change, to support them in challenging and changing existing policies and practices that exclude them, and help to ensure they are no longer ignored in research or service provision. With the ultimate goal of increasing the number of women with disabilities in leadership roles nationally, project activities will include the recruitment and training of approximately 30 women with disabilities leaders from target sectors (feminist, Black, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+, and unions), the development of 6 to 10 communities of practice based on the interests, backgrounds and strengths of the participants, and awareness raising on the impacts of leadership by women with disabilities. An evaluation report will be developed to document the project’s progress, lessons learned, and to share outcomes.