”At IFRC my objective was to mainstream the inclusion of persons with disabilities both in RCRC programming and among staff and volunteers. Because people with disabilities face many forms of discrimination in their daily lives, they often do not have opportunities to participate in society, including being part of National Societies or accessing humanitarian services or aid. Realizing the situation in the RCRC Movement made me even more determined to change our Movement, starting with opening the eyes of my colleagues in IFRC and globally among National Societies, and improving our capacity to be inclusive to women and men with disabilities.

Diversity in leadership is extremely important. Diversity among people means diversity in perspectives and experiences. When we all aim for a common goal and cause, diverse points of view help us make better decisions to achieve them.

We need more female leaders in IFRC, but just including women is not enough. We must have women with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We absolutely need more women with disabilities! Women with disabilities are role models that can show the us how we can change and also show other women with disabilities that we can and must be active and break society’s negative stereotypes that hold so many women with disabilities back.

I think we women with disabilities have to support each other and push each other to be brave and step up. We need women role models and our women role models need us as a network to support and continue paving the way forward.

I have learned so much working for the IFRC. I met and worked with amazing passionate people who inspired me because I felt we have a common goal to make the world a better place. The Movement and all these strong and driven people have become a part of me forever!

I dream of a world where children and adults of all genders and disabilities have the same opportunities and choices as everyone else, a world free of the negative attitudes and actions towards persons with disabilities.”