About Us

Who are we?

Women with Disabilities Victoria (WDV) is a not-for-profit Disabled Peoples Organisation (DPO) representing women and gender diverse people with disabilities in Victoria.

We are run for and by women and gender diverse people with all kinds of disabilities. Our members are people of all ages, backgrounds and lifestyles.

Women and gender diverse people with disabilities are often treated unfairly because of our gender and/or disability. At WDV, we advocate for our right to safety and respect, with a focus on health services, violence prevention and leadership.

What do we do?

  • We support women with disabilities to achieve their leadership and advocacy goals. 
  • We create resources to help women with disabilities to learn and speak out about their rights.
  • We work collaboratively with the disability sector, family violence prevention services, and other community organisations to improve gender and disability inclusion.
  • We research issues that affect women with disabilities.
  • We campaign on issues that impact our community, challenging harmful attitudes about gender and disability.
  • We advocate for changes to laws and policies to improve the lives of women with disabilities.
  • We provide expert advice to government.

Our Vision

A world where all women are respected and can fully experience life.

Our Mission

To advance real social and economic inclusion for women with disabilities in Victoria, we will:

  • Be a voice for women with disabilities.
  • Create opportunities for women with disabilities to be visible and to be heard in their communities.
  • Build partnerships to deliver the best results for women with disabilities.
  • Engage the community to challenge attitudes and myths about women with disabilities.
Graphic of an older woman with her hand raised.
Graphic of a woman with sunglasses and a guide dog.
Graphic of a woman in a wheelchair with a phone.
Graphic of a woman with purple hair holding a baby.

Our Values

  • Equal Opportunity
  • Accessibility
  • Respect
  • Collaboration
  • Effectiveness
  • Creativity
  • Diversity
  • Accountability

Our Strategic Plan

For more detail about our purpose, approach, goals and strategies, you can take a look at our 2021-2024 Strategic Plan:
 
Front cover of Strategic Plan 2021 - 2024
The WDV Logo above a photograph of group of 16 women, some with visible disabilities, posed together and smiling. Text below reads: Claiming our future.

Our History: 1995-2010

WDV has a strong history in the feminist and disability rights movements. A comprehensive report on our humble beginnings and major successes in policy, advocacy and empowerment can be found here:
 

Our Constitution

WDV’s constitution was last updated in 2017. You can read the word version here.