Needs assessment of women with disabilities in the North West province of Cameroon

In Cameroon, women have many roles and responsibilities within the household and often outside the home. Having a disability makes the carrying out of daily tasks more difficult for a woman. A needs assessment using focus groups (n= 24 using 2 focus groups) and key informant interviews (n= 12) was conducted to explore the experiences of women living with disabilities in the North West Province. Findings of this qualitative study show that women with disabilities face both physi cal and attitudinal barriers, some live in poverty, most have difficulty getting married, and the majority feel they have a lack of opportunities in gaining an education, finding employment, and forming meaningful social ties. Participants generated ideas on changes that need to be made for the betterment of their lives. Ideas were around increasing empowerment and education, gaining support from family and friends, increasing public awareness, adapting the physical environments, and finding allies.