WDDF has observed the covid 19 situation globally and take preparation to complete some emergency Activities which need to done immediately such as communicate with all the girls and women with disabilities let them know to take preparation to stay home for at least one month and what will be the health safety system and how they will stay safe etc.

Bangladesh Government has taken step and declare to locked down. As WDDF has long experience to work with women and girls with disabilities and disability issues we know people with disabilities especially women with disabilities will be falling down in economic crisis and social integration. So When WDDF communicate with grass roots women and girls with disabilities living in working area we has started to getting report they fall in economic crisis. Most of the girls and women with disabilities has started to deprived from their basic need.

WDDF has taken immediate response initiatives through Staff members salary and given food support to 27 Girls and women with disabilities in comilla doudkandi District for a month. Then we started to raise fund from Family and Friends! Success fully we provide our support to 300 People with disabilities through this contribution. After that we reviewed our some project and create opportunity to distribute food support to 1876 people (in total) which is running in Dhaka, Pabna, Jessore, Cumilla, Bogura, Magura, Mymenshingh, Chittagonj, Shatkhira, Shirajgonj, Jamalpur, cishorgonj, Narayangonj, Potuakhali, pirojpur, Nouga, chapai, Noakhali, Khulna, Gaibandha through DPOs . WDDF has raised local 4,95,360 BDT and reviewed project fund for Covid-19 support to girls and women with disabilities 677489 BDT.  WDDF has given priority to girls and women with disabilities. WDDF has provide food and cash support to women and men with Disabilities:

WDDF has received 40,000 TK as grant from Jatio protibandhu unnon Foundation (JPUF) under Social Welfare Ministry and distribute among 75 girls, women, child and man with Disabilities in urban slam located Satarkul, Badda.

WDDF has done lots of Advocacy with Government to allocate fund for people with disabilities, send letter to 64 district commissioner, deputy commissioner of local government, send 420 letters to sub-district executive officer (UNO) to support people with disabilities as equal basis with others.

Challenges: 1. The present situation and especially the lockdown has put a large portion of population including Persons with Disabilities in a precarious situation. A study report has published 74%  People with Disabilities are already suffering from male nutrition in covid 19 . Especially Women with Disabilities and they’re leading in humanitarian lives.

  1. No of people with Disabilities has died and no of people with disabilities are deprived from treatment from Hospital; Hospital denied people with disabilities health services.
  2. Due to financial crisis Women with disabilities and their family members are not active in their mobile which make another challenge to field worker of WDDF. We find out that 60-80% women with disabilities has deprive from their basic needs which is related to daily hygienic and health care for menstruation.
  3. We also get report from women with disabilities are facing domestic violence such as physical and physiological torture etc. 13 girls and women with intellectual and hearing disabilities has raped in different district during the pandemic.
  4. Most of the Area DPOs are not working so people with disabilities suffering a lot. Some youth with disabilities Reported to get misbehavior from Government officials in their area. Almost one thousand garment factories have been opened within locked down situation and garment workers without disabilities are going to be joined in their work through enormous struggle but it is impossible for Persons with Disabilities so they’re going to lose their job. Furthermore, in order to abridge economic loss during shutdown situation, a large number of companies/factories will terminate staffs and in most cases, Persons especially Women with Disabilities will become victim of this termination.

WDDF has worked with DPOs and Coordinating many ways!

  • WDDF has distributied this circulars and take initiatives to received support from government offices in respective.
  • WDDF is coordinating with DPOs to prepared list as per condition of people with disabilities for different donor who are interested to support to people with disabilities.
  • WDDF has also conducted a short survey of people with disabilities how they suffering due to shutdown situation through i2i.
  • WDDF is collecting local and international donor to support People with disabilities especially Women with disabilities across the country.
  • WDDF participate international survey and published joint statement of people disabilities situation with National and regional CSOs.

WDDF have more than 3000 Girls and women with disabilities list waiting to get food/cash support.