PODA will implement a new project in districts Mardan and Peshawar in Kyber-Pukhtoonkhwa province and in districts Chakwal and Multan in Punjab province during 2027-2029. The “Beyond Barriers” project will strengthen the organisational capacity of women led groups working for women with disabilities and provide disability rights training to employers and technical institutes.

Executive Director PODA, Ms. Sameena Nazir while welcoming this project partnership with AWAZ, Sightsavers with funding support from the European Union noted that this is a beginning grounded in commitment and collective action, that disability inclusion is essential for building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable societies. She urges all government stakeholders, civil society, and workers organizations to carry this momentum forward as inclusion is about ensuring that every child and every person, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to participate fully in society.

Over the next three years, the “Beyond Barriers” project will enhance the capacity of women-led organisations to support women, particularly those with disabilities, in combatting gender based violence and harassment and in accessing decent and inclusive work opportunities, and the Disability-inclusive Approach to Social Accountability. The CSOs will generate evidence to influence policymaking, strengthen advocacy campaigns and improve service delivery.