Marlyn and Christina

Marlyn became motivated to be an advocate and school-based leader for persons with disabilities through her extensive teaching activities across PNG's Western Province. She is concerned that the rights of people with disabilities are still overlooked despite the PNG Government's endorsement of its 2009 National Policy on Disability and its 1993 National Special Education Policy and Guidelines. Her goal is to see all citizens participating effectively in PNG's economic and social life.

Marlyn already conducts training for primary school teachers to create inclusive learning environments. She intends to develop an advocacy strategy to promote greater social inclusion, including improved workforce participation, and to empower young women with disabilities to speak out on their rights.

As a qualified occupational therapist and outdoor educator, Christina has over 19 years of experience in international development and disability. She has worked in partnership with people with disabilities, governments, donors, service providers, faith-based organisations, international NGOs and the United Nations to ensure people with disabilities can access the same rights and opportunities as others, in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Christina's work has taken her across the Pacific - to PNG, Samoa, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Fiji and Solomon Islands. She played a key role in the drafting of PNG's National Guidelines on the Provision of Assistive Technology for Persons with Disabilities. She also contributed to the development of data tools that track progress of Samoa's Disability Program and to the evaluation process for Samoa's Integrated Mobility Device Service project.