Inclusion for her

#InclusionforHer is a social media campaign that promotes educational inclusion for girls with disabilities. The campaign #InclusionforHer took place between October 11 (International Girls Day) and December 3 (International Day of Persons with disabilities), on Keystone Moldova’s and Keystone Human Services International’s Facebook Pages, and on @KHSInternational on Twitter.

Keystone Human Services believes in fostering an environment where all children have equal access to education. But for girls, especially girls with disability, significant barriers exist to school inclusion with their peers. In developing countries, a child with a disability is half as likely to be in primary school as a child without a disability. For girls with disability, this exclusion is even worse. Without education, girls are denied the opportunity to create a stable, sustainable future for themselves in adulthood. They are more vulnerable to gender-based violence, exclusion, and exploitation. This needs to change.

In the Republic of Moldova, Keystone has been focusing on specialized support for girls with disability for their educational inclusion in typical schools after being moved out of residential institutions and included in the community. Keystone is working to foster an enabling environment for the education of all girls. Keystone Moldova also provides tutoring and educational support of economically vulnerable girls in a village-based child and family center; is piloting strategies to prevent discrimination and bullying in district schools; conducts research related to educational inclusion of girls with disability; and is involved in developing public policy in education. But much work remains to be done before all girls with disability have their right to education equally recognized, and their inclusion in society fully realized. Any time we as a global society talk about educational opportunities for girls, we need to include girls with disabilities in the conversation. We need to work toward #InclusionForHer, for all girls.

#InclusionforHer #IWantToLearn

Without education, girls are denied the opportunity to create a stable, sustainable future for themselves. This needs to change. All children—with and without disabilities—have a right to education. Help us spread the message about the need for#InclusionForHer in schools.

#IWantToLearn

“I wanted my daughter to go to kindergarten… She learns a lot from other kids. Now she is more independent and likes to draw, recite poems, and play.”

—Diana’s mother

Diana, an 8-year-old girl, has flourished in school with her peers. Before she attended kindergarten, she could not articulate words. Now she can distinctly repeat them after the other children. She has learned letters, numbers, and poetry. She can draw and write. With the support of her kindergarten teacher, she walked for the first time.

The other children in her class understand her needs and try to help her when she needs it. They all work and play together.

#InclusionForHer #IWantToLearn

“When children are together, it’s easier for them to learn.” —a kindergarten teacher in the Republic of Moldova

In developing countries, a child with a disability is half as likely to be in primary school as a child without a disability. This exclusion is even worse for girls with disabilities. It’s time for this to change. Including girls and girls with disabilities in the classroom benefits all children.

#IWantToLearn

Please share the message of #InclusionForHer in classrooms throughout the world.

“Kindergarten children don’t discriminate. They don’t see differences. We, the parents, should learn acceptance from our kids.” —a parent in the Republic of Moldova

Share the message of #InclusionForHer, and help advocate for girls, including girls with disabilities, to be included in the classroom with their peers.

Inclusion of women and girls works for mothers and children. It works for their families. —Ludmila Jalba, parent and advocate

On September 19, Ludmila Jalba spoke at the Clinton Global Initiative and shared how the more inclusive policies and creative community-based supports recently adopted by the Republic of Moldova have benefitted both her and her daughter. She said, “It is possible for my daughter to pursue an everyday life. She has friends. She goes to school, and her personal growth has been amazing. That, in turn, has freed me to explore my own abilities as an advocate, and I am now as fulfilled as I’ve ever been in my life.”

#InclusionForHer in schools makes a difference in the lives of girls and women. Please share the message and help bring about change.

“Teachers are responsible for discovering children’s talents and helping them grow. Some children are good at drawing. Some are good at singing. We need to encourage them to develop their talents.” —a kindergarten teacher in the Republic of Moldova

Diana has been attending kindergarten, where she has learned letters, numbers, and poetry. She has also learned how to draw and write. With the support of her teacher, she started to walk for the first time!

Diana’s teachers have helped her learn and grow alongside her peers. In fact, Diana loves going to kindergarten so much that she often doesn’t want to go home!

Diana and many other children have benefited from an inclusive education. Join us in sharing how important it is to include girls with disabilities in classrooms.

#InclusionForHer #IWantToLearn

“It is hard to be a young women with a disability in Moldova. But we are working to change that.” —Tamara Andries, self-advocate

Tamara, a young woman from Făleşti Moldova, spoke at the 2016 Clinton Global Initiative to share her experiences as a young woman with a disability. She’s looking for a job so she can be independent and not have to totally rely on her parents. In fact, she dreams of helping her parents the way they have helped her.

Be a part of the change and share the message of#InclusionForHer.

“We have abilities, we are part of society, and we have the same rights as others.” —Tamara Andries, self-advocate

Tamara has been advocating for her own rights and the rights of others with disabilities. Those rights include the right to education and the right to work.

Share Tamara’s message of equal rights for people with disabilities.

#InclusionForHer #IWantToLearn

“I want to learn.”

Anghelina loves listening to music and dancing. She dreams of becoming a dancer or a kinetotherapist. She’s now in 4th grade and is included in a classroom with her nondisabled peers. However, when she first started school, some of the parents of the other students didn’t believe she should be included. They believed that “there are special schools for special kids.” But after Anghelina’s mother and teacher advocated for her and educated the other parents and children, they stopped discriminating against her and began to accept her.

Now, Anghelina is happy and has lots of friends at school. Her friends visit her at home, where they play and do their homework together.

Inclusive education gives Anghelina an opportunity to pursue her dreams.

Share the message of #InclusionForHer in school and help other children pursue their dreams. #IWantToLearn

Learn more at https://advancingthehumanspirit.org/news/articles/2016/inclusion-for-her.php

Although Anghelina, Diana, and Mădălina are included in their local schools with their peers, there are 62 million girls around the world who do not have access to education. #InclusionForHer is an ongoing issue. Thank you to everyone who shared and engaged with our #InclusionForHer posts over the last nine weeks. We hope you’ll join us in continuing to raise awareness and advocate for all children, especially girls with disabilities, to have equal access to education.

Learn more: https://advancingthehumanspirit.org/news/articles/2016/inclusion-for-her.php

 

Thank you for sharing the messages of the campaign #InclusionForHer —Ludmila Malcoci, Executive Director Keystone Moldova