With Nidhi Goyal and Vanita Mukherjee

Feminist activist Vanita Mukherjee (DAWN) talks to Indian disability and gender rights activist Nidhi Goyal (Rising Flame) about the experiences of women with disabilities during the pandemic. Nidhi, who’s also a stand-up comedian, and has recently been appointed to the UN Women Executive Director’s advisory group, reflects on access to vaccines for people with disabilities as well as other themes often left on the sidelines of the broader Right to Health debate. Have we unpacked the whole idea of what access looks like for people in all their diversity? Listen, learn and join the conversation!

Nidhi Goyal is an Indian disability and gender rights activist who has been appointed to the UN Women Executive Director’s advisory group. Goyal is the founder and executive director of Mumbai-based NGO Rising Flame and works in the areas of sexuality, gender, health and rights for women and girls with disabilities. She is also a stand-up comedian.

Vanita Mukherjee is a feminist activist and researcher. She co-leads DAWN’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) thematic analysis team. Vanita has been a part of the feminist movement and social movements in Kerala, including the fishworkers’ movement, and the science movement (1980s). She has worked with feminist groups and networks in various capacities, contributing to advocacy, capacity building, and action-research. She was DAWN’s Regional Coordinator for South Asia and is currently a member of DAWN’s Executive Committee. She holds a MA in Gender Studies from the Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University, Holland, and a bachelor’s degree in biology. Vanita was a Program Officer at the Ford Foundation’s New Delhi office, where she developed the Civil Society & Social Justice, and the Gender, Sexuality, & Reproductive Justice portfolios. She also worked as Senior Advisor.