Forgotten Agenda – People with Disabilities, Research Ethics and Processes under the Covid-19 Pandemic: How do we conduct inclusive disability research during times of crisis?

This event is hosted by the Forgotten Agenda project, based at South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and will feature a range of research focusing on disability and Covid-19.

The recent Covid-19 pandemic and the accompanying countrywide lockdowns in South Africa (SA) have had a tremendous impact on the lives of people with disabilities, in particular women with disabilities. During times of crisis, people with disabilities are hardest hit. They are more vulnerable to the direct impacts of disasters and government-led crisis management responses such as hard lockdowns, social distancing, restrictions on gatherings, and health and safety regulations. While done with the best intentions, these efforts do not always consider the far-reaching impacts they may have on people with disabilities. Women with disabilities face discrimination based on gender and disability. They experience health disparities and are exposed to gender- and disability-based violence. Thus crisis conditions create the ‘perfect storm’, and their increased vulnerability is more easily forgotten.

The first webinar in June 2021 started a conversation about the forgotten agenda of sexual and reproductive health and young women/girls with disabilities. This second webinar will focus on research conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic in several countries and aims to explore the following critical question: How to conduct inclusive disability research during times of crisis?

Speakers