Marianne Griffiths

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Country: Ireland
Background: International Business
Research Project: An investigation into the existence of advocacy and empowerment strategies used by organisations representing people with disabilities in La Paz, Bolivia.

This study uses Interpretative Qualitative Analysis to understand the empowerment and advocacy strategies that are employed by the disability movement in La Paz, Bolivia. Using semi structured interviews, the study gains an insight into the issues that affect people with disabilities. Participants are all key informants; decision makers from a variety of civil society and government organisations. Although initially it seemed that the issue of advocacy was not important, throughout the course of the study it emerged that all of the participant groups advocate for their members in some way. Empowerment and the actions taken to empower people with disabilities were key parts of the study. Employment and education opportunities emerged as  the most important strategies for the empowerment of people with disabilities to become empowered. Barriers to empowerment included the culture of the disability movement and the attitude of Bolivian society towards people with disabilities. Money and a lack of resources were cross cutting themes throughout the study. The theme of government actions and the fact that disability is now on the national agenda were also considered to be important. It appears that communication is quite open at all levels but that actions and change do not always follow.