This year South Africa’s theme for women’s month is “women’s socio-economic rights and empowerment: building back better for women’s resilience”. This is a call to action to all of society, government, and partners to take tangible steps forward in responding to the most persistent challenges affecting the lives of women and girls, and one of these challenges is women living with a disability.
According to the United Nations women living with a disability, unfortunately, face significantly more difficulties both in public and private spaces in having access to health, adequate housing, education, and employment to name a few. Therefore promoting gender empowerment and equality is critical if women’s month is going to be celebrated the way it should be. Yvette Glass, the Co-Owner and the Managing Director of Evac+Chair highlights that women and young girls are sadly susceptible to experiencing double discrimination placing them at higher risks of exploitation, gender-based violence marginalisation, and neglect.
There are so many ways one can be neglected such as physical, emotional, medical, and educational. Now for one who lives with a disability, this is double which is why I think a way in which we can break the bias against women living with a disability is by ensuring and showing them that they are just as important as any other person.
Women are a driving force. A way to build back better for women’s resilience as this year’s theme is also by using occupational and physical therapies transport for example.
“We are trying to exist in a world that is free of bias but rather of inclusivity, diversity, and equality including the disabled community and that is where my passion for having an evacuation chair came from. Imagine being in a situation where you cannot escape an emergency safely simply because you are disabled. This really can be avoided by having evacuation on standby so one can traverse the stairs” –Yvette Glass, Co-owner and Managing Director of Evac+Chair
South Africa has 8.5% of women according to stats SA living with a disability, that is more than 5 million women in South Africa’s population living with a disability. Yvette Glass in supporting women living with a disability held a campaign (#MySafetyMatters) last year where she collaborated with an NPO called Ladies on Wheels.
“This campaign aimed to bring awareness about the safety of people with mobility impairments when it comes to high-rise buildings. That is why I think women’s month should be a driving force towards supporting disability so that they can live independently and be able to participate and feel safe both in public and private space”- Yvette GlassWomen’s month should not just remain a title but should enforce change. Women should no longer be subjected to cultural, social, and economic oppression so that they can take part in their communities freely.
About Yvette Glass, Co-Owner and the Managing Director of Evac+Chair
Yvette Glass, a woman is a co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of Evac+Chair South Africa. She was born in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, and raised by her parents who inspired and directed her in the business world, his father had good business acumen as well as determination she saw from her mother. She later moved to Johannesburg studied through UNISA for BCom Financial Accounting and has been exposed to various skills in business such as auditing, investment banking, manufacturing, labour broking, and tax.
Yvette has extensive experience in the financial and tax fields that she gained through working in numerous auditing and accounting practices. She worked in the investment banking space for a while before co-founding Evac+Chair South Africa alongside husband and partner, Gavin Glass and getting involved in manufacturing.
Being well versed in the running of the manufacturing business and always willing to learn something new has led to the success and growth of Evac+Chair South Africa. Working alongside her partner Gavin who is partially paralyzed, has been the goal behind encouraging all multi-storeyed buildings to have a device like the Evac+Chair for the safe evacuation of all people, particularly with mobility impairments.
Besides being a businesswoman, Yvette loves reading, being a homebody, and is more focused on ensuring the safety of people with mobility impairments her concerns are heightened as they need to have solutions that work for them.
“I am a determined, hardworking, and outgoing person who enjoys interacting with people and building relationships. Having gone into business I would like to ensure the continuity of our unique product and that it may be placed in all multi-storied buildings both residential and commercial,’’ said businesswoman, Yvette Glass.
