Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP)

National Forum of Women with Disabilities (NFWWD) is a National Network of Disabled Women, Disabled People Organizations (DPOs), like-minded governmental and non-governmental local and International organizations that include mainstreaming of women with disabilities in Pakistan in their mandate. Established in 2009, this forum is mandated to ensure full and equal inclusion and participation of women with disabilities in the development process, to build dynamic and effective strategies for the promotion and empowerment of women with disabilities across the country and developing a cooperation mechanism with the international forums. Organizational Structure National Forum of Women with Disabilities (NFWWD) consists of board members who were part of the inception of the forum and registration. Chief Executive of this forum is Ms. Abia Akram and her dynamic personality and strong leadership is steering the forum in right direction. Every province has two provincial coordinators and there are two national coordinators. The mandate of these coordinators is to manage and coordinate within their province and regions. Further down in the structure there are members of the forum who work directly in coordination with the provincial coordinators, these members are at grass root level. National Coordinators are directly monitoring and coordinating with the provincial coordinators. The positions of the National and Provincial Coordinators are electoral positions. People on these designations are elected and elections take place after every two years. This is how a web all over Pakistan is created of women with disabilities and the outreach is extended to the grass root level. Presence of the Forum The forum has been actively working in volunteer and non-volunteer capacity. Since 2009, the forum has delivered more than 100 trainings at national and grass root levels. The forum has also been represented at national and international levels through many of its prominent names and shining stars. UNESCO, Handicap International, Sightsavers, Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP) and CHEF International are the major donors and funders of national forum. Objectives:

• To promote the national cooperation on women with disability related concerns through strengthening and facilitating Disabled People Organizations (DPOs) to achieve the mainstreamed implementation of the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
• To offer expert advice, research, technical cooperation and operational assistance to the intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders in order to build national capacities and facilitate international, regional and bilateral cooperation on the concerns of women with disabilities.
• To contribute to the development of Disabled People Organizations (DPOs) through research, dialogue, design and implementation of gender-related programs aimed at maximizing women with disabilities leadership.
• To be a primary reference point for women with disabilities information, research, best practices, data collection, compatibility and sharing.
• To promote, facilitate and support national debate and dialogue on rights of women with disabilities.
• To advance understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by women with disabilities.
• To identify and develop effective policies for addressing those challenges and to identify comprehensive approaches and measures for advancing international cooperation.