INNOVATION CHALLENGE

Theme: DISABILITY AND SRHR 

 

Application Deadline August 07, 2020

OVERVIEW

Women and Girls with disabilities (WGWD) account for almost one-fifth of the world’s population of women and have the same Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) needs as women and girls without disabilities. However, due to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on gender, disability and poverty, they face unique and pervasive barriers to full realization of their sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR). Some of the key issues are:

  • Information about sexual and reproductive health is frequently not provided in accessible formats, denying WGWDs information essential to avoid sexual abuse, unwanted pregnancy, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). 
  • Equipment and facilities in sexual and reproductive health care settings are not always accessible nor designed with women with disabilities in mind.
  • WGWDs often face financial, social, and psychological barriers to accessing adequate reproductive health care.
  • Due to biases and lack of training, many healthcare providers hold inaccurate, stereotypical views about women and girls with disabilities, such as assumptions that they are asexual.

To improve access to SRHR for persons with disabilities, DRAC collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Health, with strategic inputs from a broad range of stakeholders to develop the National Policy on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Persons with Disabilities with Emphasis on Women and Girls. 

The policy is the first of its kind and provides a policy and program direction to Government, Civil Society Organizations, Development Partners and the organized Private Sector on how to deal with reproductive health concerns of persons with disabilities especially women and girls. However, there is little or no effort to ensure its implementation and improve access to quality SRH services for women and girls with disabilities.

THE CHALLENGE:

Towards improving access to SRH services for women and girls with disabilities while creating demand for these services, DRAC is calling on young people with wonderful and impactful ideas to participate in the Innovation Challenge on Disability & SRHR.

The Innovation Challenge will bring together young people interested in making a difference in the lives of women and girls with disabilities to develop and pitch their innovative and implementable solutions to improving SRHR outcomes for WGWDs and bring SRHR services closer to those of them at the grassroot level. 

 These are the thematic areas from the policy:

  1. Increase knowledge: Awareness Raising, Popular Support and Issue Mainstreaming
  2. Improve Accessibility to SRH for WWD (Access to Education, Access to SRH Services, Access to Transport, Access to information and Communication)
  3. To improve the inclusion of WWD in Governance (mainstreaming WWD in government programme, inclusion in policies and laws, and budgeting for PWD)
  4. Building Bridges for partnership & collaboration as well as Capacity Building across stakeholders
  5. Promoting research, monitoring, and evaluation for WWD issues, activities and programmes

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To participate in the Innovation Challenge, you must::

  • Be aged 18 and above. DRAC is an equal opportunity organization, therefore, persons with disabilities and young women are strongly encouraged to apply.
  • Have a laptop computer with functional web camera.
  • Speak fluent English or Sign Language.
  • Understand social justice issues and be committed to promoting the rights of persons with disabilities.
  • Commit to coming up with innovative ideas and solutions for the implementation of the National Policy on SRHR of Persons with Disabilities.
  • Be committed to implementing agreed activities over a 3-6 month period

HOW TO APPLY:

Download and study the National Policy on SRHR of persons with disabilities to give you a good understanding of the SRHR issues of women and girls with disabilities

Select ONLY one of the thematic areas and tell us about your innovative idea towards addressing the selected thematic area. Applicants may submit only one application. 

Click HERE to download the Innovation Challenge Application Form. Completed forms should be submitted to ENTRIES@dracinnovates.org latest by 11:59pm August 7, 2020.

Who can Apply:
  • Innovators
  • Disability Advocates
  • Software Developers
  • Ideators
  • Social Entrepreneurs
  • Students

Selected applicants will be invited to pitch their ideas in a 1-day virtual ideation meeting; after which they will be grouped into teams and invited to Abuja for a 3-day development and design session.

The winning idea will have the opportunity to receive seed grants towards completing and piloting their solutions.

APPLY HERE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FORM

Send your forms to :
ENTRIES@dracinnovates.org

#DisabilityInnovation                   #SRHRChallenge

This innovation challenge is made possible through the support of OXFAM VOICE Nigeria