Our story

The Estonian community of disabled women started actively coming together on 11.04.1998 with the first forum for Estonian disabled women. The meeting where the NPO Estonian Union of Disabled Women (EPNÜ) was founded took place on 26.09.1998 in Tartu, with 43 founding members present. In 2012 it was decided that EPNÜ would become an umbrella association and in 2013 the NPO Estonian Association of Disabled Women (EPNÜL) was born. The association currently has three independently working active unions as it’s members. In 2016 EPNÜL joined with the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People and started receiving financial support for it’s everyday activities through the EPIFond.
The board of the association consists of three people and in addition to supporting the work of our member organisations, we have organised at least two seminars every year, that focus on the problems of disabled people, discrimination and equality. EPNÜL has joined the Estonian Women’s Cooperation Chain and the Estonian Women’s Associations Roundtable.
In more than 20 years we have:

systematically provided information on topics that have to do with equality, disabled women’s opportunities for education and work, starting a family, raising children, support and in generally on the welfare of disabled people
translated the European Manifesto by Women with Disabilities into Estonian and evaluated the situation of Estonian disabled women through it
contributed to the discussion on ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in order to emphasise the perspective on gender in the convention
contributed to the adoption of the Gender Equality Act in the parliament
contributed to the improvement of the Family Law in relation to the problems of guardians of families with special needs
translated material on the situation of disabled women in other countries and shared them through our website
mapped the problems of disabled men and women in order to better organise relevant trainings and information days for the target groups
contributed to the development plan of the Sexual Health Union to highlight the problems of people with disabilities in this area
represented women with special needs in specific seminars, discussions and conferences both in Estonia and abroad as well as joined various campaigns that contribute to the democratization of society and the development of legislation

EPNÜL is a network that represents women with special needs all over Estonia and stands for the rights of disabled women.