| Project Title | Digital storytelling for evidence-based advocacy |
| Donor | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Australian Awards Fellowship program |
| Chief investigator | Dr Kate Neely |
| Co-investigators | Felix Kiefel-Johnson, technical advisor |
| Collaborating Organisations | Sentra Advokasi Perempuan Difabel dan Anak (SAPDA), Indonesia |
The problem
Advocacy is central to the work of organisations of people with disability (OPDs). Advocacy messaging is strengthened when it is based on rigorous and ethical research and data collection. An evidence-based foundation equips OPD advocates to better drive change and advance the rights of people with disability.
The research
The Nossal Institute trained Sentra Advokasi Perempuan, Difabel dan Anak (SAPDA), a leading Indonesian OPD focusing on women and children with disability, to become a trainer in evidence-based digital advocacy. Using new skills, SAPDA trained Australia Award Fellows from three Indonesian OPDs to research and develop digital stories to advocate on issues impacting women with disability. Nossal supported SAPDA to co-facilitate training workshops in Melbourne and to support OPD Fellows after their return to Indonesia. The stories included discrimination and access to employment; sexual abuse and barriers to reporting, marriage and starting a family.
The impact
Dissemination of the digital stories included a screening at the 2023 Jogja Asian Film Festival for a story produced by the Deaf organisation Ba(wa)yang. Using skills gained in this project, SAPDA have partnered with the DFAT funded KONESKI program to establish their Research School for Persons with Disabilities under the Australia-Indonesia Knowledge Partnership.
SDG Goals
Advancing Melbourne 2030 Research framework
Practice Ares
Equity and Inclusion; Women’s Health
Countries
Indonesia