New Research Partnership to Investigate Challenges Facing Women And Girls With Disabilities Worldwide

CESI is very pleased to be a part of the new, seven-year research partnership Engendering Disability-Inclusive Development (EDID). Led by U of G political science professor Dr. Deborah Stienstra, the partnership will involve collaboration between researchers, governments, and advocacy organizations in Canada, Haiti, South Africa, and Vietnam. Project partners will use national census data, interviews, and focus groups to better understand the experiences of women and girls with disabilities, who are considered one of the world’s most marginalized groups by the United Nations. They will also work with policymakers to develop ways to increase their inclusion. The project is funded by a recent $2.5 million grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

As a co-investigator, CESI Director Liz Jackson is part of the EDID leadership team, and CESI will provide a variety of resources to support the EDID partnership's relationship building, collaborative research, and knowledge mobilization. . Other U of G project partners include Project Re-Vision, the Live Work Well Research Centre, and The Guelph Institute of Development Studies; beyond campus, partner organizations within Canada include the DisAbled Women’s Network Canada, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, and Global Affairs Canada.