The Aawaz II Programme, supported by the UK’s FCDO, concluded its landmark two-day National Summit of Women with Disabilities (WWDs) in Islamabad — Pakistan’s first-ever gathering of its kind. Organised by the British Council and its partners Omar Asghar Khan Foundation (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and PJN (Punjab) in collaboration with UNFPA and, the Summit united WWD leaders from Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh with government officials to advance disability-inclusive development. The Summit culminated in the adoption of a National Charter of Demands reaffirming the movement’s core philosophy: “Nothing About Us, Without Us.”

“Women with disabilities must not simply benefit from policies and programmes; they must help design them, shape them, and hold institutions accountable” said Mr. James Hampson, Country Director, British Council Pakistan.

“When women with disabilities are given platforms, they not only identify their issues but also develop solutions.” — Mr. Sam Waldock, Development Director, British High Commission Pakistan.

For Aawaz II, this Summit closes a chapter. For Pakistan’s WWD movement, it opens the next one — led by women with disabilities themselves, from the grassroots to the national level.