ENGAGE-India_Leadership Workshop: Key Learnings and Reflections

A residential workshop was conducted during 30th June and 1st July 2025 as part of Project ENGAGE, in Seva Kendra Calcutta. There were in total 13 participants and 1 parent. 3 members of the research team were present. The main objective of this workshop was to revise both, the various concepts of rights, leadership, etc. that participants had been exposed to as well as the activities that they had been a part of over the years. Through the two-day workshop we also revisited some questions of their identity as disabled women and girls, their views on leadership and concepts around knowledge/praxis.

A group photo of women and girls with disabilities in July 2025

The participants were enthusiastic and active in the sessions. They were keen to learn things they did not know, for instance, the steps to organizing an awareness programme or workshop in their community. At the same time they were articulate about sharing their own experiences. Overall the workshop ended on positive notes, with a whatsapp group having been created (with most of the girls and women becoming a part of it) and plans for a programme organized by them in the autumn of this year.

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On May 4, 2025, the Engaging girls and young women with disabilities across Southern spaces (ENGAGE) project conducted the final local fieldwork for the project in A LĆ°á»›i District, Vietnam. This activity aimed to report research findings to project participants and local partners, fostering two-way dialogue and recognizing the voices of the community.

During the reporting session, the research team summarized the participation journey of women and girls with disabilities in A LĆ°á»›i through three phases:

Phase 1: Building knowledge on community issues
Phase 2: Addressing community issues through concrete actions
Phase 3: Developing networks for collective learning and action

Key research findings presented to the community included: Analysis of the local context and the social position of women and girls with disabilities; Social prejudices and perceptions about disability; Challenges and opportunities in leadership and participation of women and girls with disabilities; Visions for change, and affirmation of the voices and capacities of women and girls with disabilities.

Participants engaged in group discussions to reflect on their leadership journey and provide feedback on the research results. The findings once again affirmed the active participation of women and girls with disabilities. “We were presented with issues that needed to be addressed, and the world got to know about us…”

Through the research results, women and girls with disabilities affirmed their role as agents of change, saying they were “both recipients of information and partners in completing the research outcomes.” A young woman emphasized that listening to and empowering women with disabilities during the information-sharing process is essential. Participants also expressed their desire to widely disseminate the research findings through various formats: community meetings, informational materials, or a compilation of artistic works they created throughout the project journey.

Image 1. Women and girls with disabilities in A LĆ°á»›i District, Vietnam discussing and providing feedback on the research findings

In addition, an art-making activity was carried out to reflect the leadership journey of women and girls with disabilities. Through this activity, participants illustrated the transformations in their journey of capacity building, voice development, and the affirmation of their leadership roles within the community. More than just symbols of change, the artworks also conveyed a message of solidarity—connecting the community of women and girls with disabilities in A Lưới to a broader network of women and girls with disabilities around the world.

Image 2.  Art-making: The leadership journey of women and girls with disabilities in A Luoi district, Vietnam

With the commitments already made through the Women and Girls with disabilities club, the project remains confident in the ongoing and future journey of women and girls with disabilities in affirming their leadership roles.

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