It’s a little early in December to be doing a retrospective view over the past 12 months, and in any case we have plans for a full-scale Annual Review of 2021, to be available early next year. But I would like to note that although in many ways it’s been a calmer period than the previous months, this year has also seen some important changes. Back in August our Program Support Officer Kayla Lochner left to take up a PhD position, and our Institute Manager Hannah Sheridan went on family leave. In their place we now have the support of Isabella Burton-Clark and Lucy Sun respectively. The Institute has benefitted enormously from their skills since they arrived.
We have also benefitted from the expertise and experience of our Project Officer Marie Delaney, and are sad to be saying goodbye to her as she takes a well-earned (but possibly temporary) break at the end of December. Marie was here when I arrived as Director in August 2019, and through all the unexpected turns since then has been invaluable to the life of the Institute. All of us at the Institute wish her the very best till we next meet up.
December of course sees the marking of International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) on the 3rd of the month. IDPwD in fact lies within the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence that run from 25 November, starting with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and ending on 10 December with Human Rights Day. These days are a time of raised awareness of the human right not to be subjected to violence, focusing on the unacceptable level of violence directed against women. All the evidence shows that people with disability are more vulnerable to violence, and women with disability most of all. It was appropriate therefore that the Institute marked IDPwD with a webinar in which Nicole Lee, a wheelchair user and family violence survivor, spoke about her experiences and her advocacy work. A recording of Nicole’s conversation with me is available here.
You can listen to or read a transcript of our second podcast on Inclusive Research here and watch our webinar on disability and bioethics that we recorded as part of the University’s Diversity Fest in October here.
It only remains for me to wish all our members, Associates, colleagues and friends a happy and peaceful holidays and a healthy start to the New Year. Undoubtedly 2022 will bring its own challenges but also new opportunities – including, we hope, the chance to meet face to face at one of our events.
Best wishes from everyone at the UNSW Disability Innovation Institute!
Photo by Sebastian Davenport-Handley on Unsplash