Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is one of the most pervasive human rights violations in the world. For women and girls with disabilities, the risk is even higher; studies show they are up to 10 times more likely to experience violence compared to those without disabilities. Yet, their experiences often remain silenced, invisible, or dismissed.
The Safe Voice Project implemented by Debbie Kauna Foundation in May 2025 was created to change this reality. It is a bold step toward ensuring that women and girls with disabilities are not only protected but also heard, believed, and supported.
Through Safe Voice, DKF:
- Created safe and accessible platforms where survivors can report abuse without fear in a one-day workshop.
- Strengthened the capacity of security agencies, health workers, and service providers to deliver disability-inclusive, survivor-centered responses in a one-day workshop.
- Built referral pathways that connect survivors to psychosocial support, healthcare, and justice.
The project combined awareness campaigns, capacity building, and advocacy to shift mindsets at both community and institutional levels. Teachers, caregivers, and local leaders were engaged to dismantle harmful attitudes, while women and girls with disabilities received tailored sessions on self-advocacy and personal safety.
With support from the Norwegian Government , American University of Nigeria (AUN), Call to Action, and UNFPA, whose commitment to gender equality and protection makes Safe Voice a living reality for women and girls in Adamawa State and beyond.
Safe Voice is more than a programme, it is a promise: that safety is not a privilege, but a right, and that the voices of women and girls with disabilities will no longer be drowned out by silence.
Together, with our partners and communities, we are breaking cycles of violence and building systems of dignity, inclusion, and justice.