In an effort to create an inclusive environment under the Noura Framework, UNFPA and the National Council for Women organized a workshop on addressing the needs of adolescent girls with disabilities, targeting mentors under the program. 

The three-day workshop was held on May 12-14 in Sohag, using a training manual that tackles the different types of disabilities, disability and gender, how to integrate girls and boys with disabilities in working groups.

The Noura Framework is a girls’ empowerment program launched by the National Council for Women, and UNFPA in 2021 under the patronage of the First Lady of Egypt. It is a tailored 40-week program where adolescents, through a guided curriculum, are trained to build their social, health and economic assets.

The Noura Framework trains young women to become mentors of the asset-building program, who belong to the same communities as the adolescent girls they work with. The mentors undergo the same social health and economic assets building framework and acquire other skills such as communication and leadership skills – and most recently skills to deal with girls and boys with disabilities.

The workshop included knowledge and information on using the correct language when talking about disability, supporting the agency of persons with disabilities, and their effective participation in society free of stigma or discrimination.

The training comes as a step within a comprehensive strategy that the Noura program is developing to deal with adolescents with disabilities. The training was preceded by a complete evaluation of the Noura training manual, in addition to developing a guide to help female and male facilitators in dealing with adolescents with disabilities.

UNFPA prioritizes the empowerment of persons with disabilities and works towards more inclusive societies, through ensuring that persons with disabilities are able to share their experiences and knowledge and make informed decisions about their lives.