The Stigma of Being Disabled Remains High in Post-Conflict Northern Uganda

This is part 2 of 2 in a short blog series on this issue. For confidentiality reasons, we have changed the names in this story.

GRG is working to address the stigma surrounding disability for families like Nancy’s through community anti-stigmatisation workshops, which educate community members on the characteristics of different disabilities and distinguish between physical and mental disability and how these impacts a person’s behaviour. Alongside this, GRG encourages group dialogues and mediations, which help to create open and safe forums for discussion between all members of society. By providing individual, family and group counselling sessions, as well as information and training on support systems that are available within the wider community, GRG helps individuals with disabilities, and their communities, to manage current and past trauma surrounding disability, war-time injury, and stigma. GRG seeks to create and highlight these support networks by breaking down barriers and bridging the gaps between individuals from different communities and cultures. In doing so, this fosters mutual understanding and respect between group members and creates the conditions for a more dignified and justified future for people with disabilities.

GRG takes a holistic, group approach to all its projects to ensure that group members have control over their own progress and development. This is particularly important when addressing stigma and disability as people with disabilities often struggle to make their voices heard, despite being in the best position to educate others. Thus, this holistic approach tackles the barriers to development by also facilitating projects that focus on livelihoods and economic empowerment. In this way, typically marginalized and excluded groups, such as people with disabilities and women survivors of war, are provided with the tools they need to create the futures they deserve.

Your generous donations can support women survivors of war who have struggled due to disability stigma, and their communities who have also persevered through years of conflict and marginalization. Just $10 will provide a family and community like Nancy’s with essential sensitization and educational workshops, ultimately opening a door to safety and quality of life for vulnerable women.