The Disabled Women's Network in Canada

Abstract

This paper will describe the Disabled Women's Network (DAWN) in Canada, its origins, its significance, and its effective contributions to public awareness and social policy. DAWN was conceived as a result of the realization that the disabled community and its advocates lacked gender awareness or sensitivity, while the women's movement had a blind spot regarding women with disabilities. The paper will consider the topic against the background of disability statistics, the health care system in Canada and from a perspective of needs, risks and tasks of women in general and women with disabilities in particular.