About Us
Who are we?
Women with Disabilities Victoria (WDV) is a not-for-profit Disabled Peoples Organisation (DPO) representing women with disabilities in Victoria.
We are run for and by women and non-binary people with all kinds of disabilities. Our members are people of all ages, backgrounds and lifestyles.
Women 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.
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:
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: