The Association of Disabled Women ONE.pl/Stowarzyszenie Kobiet Niepełnosprawnych ONE.pl

Dear Partners,

Let me present a short overview of our Association.

The Association of Disabled Women ONE.pl (Stowarzyszenie Kobiet Niepełnosprawnych ONE.pl) was founded in 2004 as the first and the only non-governmental organization in Poland of this kind, which sets out as its goal & mission the work for women with disabilities in regards to 3 main fields:

the systemic changes and solutions; the direct assistance; education and activation.


The Disabled Women Association ONE.pl began as an initiative of active women with different disabilities & representing different professions (including lawyer, social politics graduate, IT specialist, journalist, psychologist, sociologist, cultural studies graduate, musician) & with experience both in non-governmental sector, public administration and academic work.

Even though our main focus are disabled women, membership in ONE.pl is not limited to females only. On the contrary, everybody is welcome to join.

CURRENT & PAST INITIATIVES & ACTIVITIES:

- expert level: ONE.pl members serve as experts to various advisory organs (including MISARN, UNDP, Committee for Social Dialogue Regarding Disabled Women at the Warsaw City Hall)

- project of sheltered flats: conceptualising the project concerning a network of flats at housing estates where persons with disabilities can function normally and, if needed, they will have access to organized assistance, cheaper than normal (assistants, transport)

- building national coalition within the sector: creating a strong lobby of disabled persons in Poland cooperating with local governments and parliamentary agencies

- informative initiatives: participation in public debates on double discrimination of disabled women (publications in newspapers, taking part in radio and television programs); taking part in panel discussions and conferences

- educational-informative publications: putting together a first handbook for disabled women in Poland which was created fully by experts who are at the same time disabled persons

- communication platform: creation of an internet website tackling issues concerning disabled women in Poland: www.onepl.org.pl

- strengthening the community of disabled women by creating a first in Poland interactive website “Open House” (www.domotwarty.org.pl) which offers different consulting services and web-based mentoring for disabled women in Poland, their families, friends and co-workers. “Open House” offers online fora, chats, and scheduled online meetings psychologists, lawyers, social workers et al.

See you soon in Amsterdam!

till later,

Magda Szarota

The Association of Disabled Women ONE.pl