This report examines the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Electoral Support Consortium (ESC), which was established to encourage voters in Namibia to participate in the elections and help these voters make informed voting decisions. Although the focus of this consultancy was to determine to what extent the ESC has been integrating gender mainstreaming and addressing disability and socially marginalized populations, this report, out of necessity, also gives an overview of the ESC and the Namibian social environment within which the ESC operates.

The Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan newsletter is produced by UNIFEM Afghanistan through support provided by USAID's Office of Women in Development. The newsletter presents factual information, statistics, and references relevant to four different gender campaign issues in order to facilitate gender-based campaigns by Afghan journalists, government, and civil society organizations.

Volume 3 contents:

• Violence Against Women
• Men and Disability in Afghanistan
• Pregnant or Nursing Mothers and Nutrition
• Understanding the Afghan Constitution and Parliament

This draft of the "On Measures Against Violence in Family Relations" law was introduced to the Albanian Parliament in January 2006. Annotations and suggested changes were written by consultant Dianne Post in July 2006. The purpose of this law is: 1. To prevent and reduce domestic violence in all its forms by appropriate legal means, 2. To guarantee legal protection to members of the family who are subjects of domestic violence, paying particular attention to needs of children, the elderly, and the disabled.

A fact sheet providing five easy steps to improve the inclusion of people with disabilities in USAID programming.

The goal of this manual is to provide information, strategies, tools, and resources that will assist international development organizations in promoting good development practice through the inclusion of people with disabilities, especially women and girls with disabilities, at every level of the development process. It is divided into major sections, beginning with a simple checklist that can be used to assess a specific organization's level of inclusiveness, continuing through sections focused on management and human resource development, program accessibility issues, international and regional experiences, and development topics as viewed through disability and gender lenses.

Common myths about including people with disabilities in international development programming.

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) surveyed InterAction member agencies about inclusion of people with disabilities to document the extent to which people with disabilities, particularly women and girls with disabilities, participate in the international development assistance process. This research is the first systematic attempt to determine if international development organizations in the U.S. include eligible people with disabilities in policies, employment, programs, and services, and what data, if any, they collect concerning participation by women and men with disabilities. The research confirmed that most organizations do not collect data showing the extent to which people with disabilities participate in the development assistance process.

A brief document that provides general information on disability and international development.

This toolkit provides the following information and resources:

• An overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including myths and facts;
• Definitions of the term "disability" and descriptions of different types of disabilities, including hidden and psychiatric disabilities;
• Tips for appropriate language when referring to people with disabilities;
• Alternative formats international development organizations can use to facilitate communication with people who are blind or visually impaired;
• Adaptive technology to help convey information to and facilitate communication with people who are deaf or hearing impaired;
• Resources on Internet accessibility for people with disabilities;
• Budgeting for inclusion of people with disabilities;
• Resources for recruiting and accommodating qualified people with disabilities; and
• A checklist for analyzing whether or not a program activity or facility is accessible.

This issue of the Investing in Women in Development Quarter Newsletter includes the following articles: 
Field Notes: Coordinating to Combat Trafficking in Russia
Field Notes: Gender and Disability
Program Notes: IWID Fellows' Realm of Impact

This two-pager offers tips for making USAID events (in the U.S. and in the field) accessible to persons with disabilities. It includes key points to consider on outreach and publicity, transportation to and from the event, and event participation.

A short paper on the use of appropriate language when speaking with and about people with disabilities.

A PowerPoint presentation overview of mainstreaming disability into USAID's development approaches.