Human Rights and Advocacy Skills Training focused on the African Disability Protocol (ADP)

During the recently concluded two-day intensive Human Rights and Advocacy Skills Training focused on the African Disability Protocol (ADP), one voice stood out—Madam Joyce, a physically disabled woman and the passionate Chairperson of Wakiso District Disabled Women Association (WADDWA).

In her reflections, Madam Joyce shared how the training was a turning point, not only for her leadership journey but for the disability movement in Wakiso.

 “For the first time,” she said, “I now understand how the African Disability Protocol is ours,it speaks our language, reflects our struggles, and gives us the power to demand dignity and inclusion.”

She described how the knowledge gained on rights-based advocacy and community mobilization reignited her confidence as a leader and gave her concrete tools to hold duty bearers accountable. “We’ve always had the voice,” she noted, “but now, we have the language and the law to back us up.”

Madam Joyce committed to cascading the training to grassroots women with disabilities, organizing local dialogues to raise awareness about the ADP and mobilizing WADDWA members to engage leaders on issues like accessible healthcare, education, and economic empowerment.

Her words were a powerful reminder that advocacy begins with understanding—and with the right tools, even the most marginalized voices can shape inclusive policies and transform communities.

“Disability is not inability,” she concluded. “And with the African Disability Protocol, we are no longer begging for space. We are claiming it.”