Interested in other areas of Sightsavers? Visit Sightsavers.org

Language selection

We use Google Translate as a service to provide you with different languages to choose from. Being an automated tool, it may occasionally make mistakes.

Select language:
Campaigns
Close search bar
TAKE ACTION
Disability rights / News and opinions /

Spotlight on the ADP: “We need to facilitate spaces and opportunities for women and girls with disabilities”

We sat down with Senzeni Mutuvedzi, vice-chair of the Equal Zimbabwe steering committee, who shared her views on the African Disability Protocol (ADP) and its impact on women and girls across the continent.

The African Disability Protocol: a game-changer for women and girls with disabilities

The ADP will be a crucial step forward for the rights of people with disabilities across Africa, particularly women and girls. As Zimbabwe approaches the implementation phase of the ADP, advocates like Senzeni are optimistic about the changes it will bring, but she also recognises the significant challenges that lie ahead.

Insights from the ADP regional meeting

Senzeni attended the ADP regional meeting, a pivotal event for those working on disability rights across the continent. Reflecting on the gathering, Senzeni emphasised why it is important to truly understand the needs of people with disabilities and the requirement for continued advocacy: “It was my first time attending such a meeting and it was really educational … I was happy to see that people with disabilities are working towards the implementation of the ADP. The fact that we understand what people with disabilities need kept my mind engaged.”

However, Senzeni was concerned about gender imbalance at the meeting as only a few women were present: “There were about four to six women compared to a large number of men”. This underrepresentation speaks to the broader issue of gender inequality within the disability sector, where women and girls with disabilities are often marginalised, even in spaces where they are supposed to advocate for their rights.

Graphic - people sat around a circular table with an image of the world on a screen.

What is the African Disability Protocol?

The ADP is a human rights treaty that addresses discrimination affecting people with disabilities living in African countries.

Learn about the ADP

Empowerment and participation: a path to equality

Senzeni believes that the ADP will empower women and girls with disabilities, not only through their participation but by providing them with leadership opportunities. She states: “By giving opportunities to women and girls with disabilities, we can have meaningful empowerment … This empowerment can be social, economic and can be related to health and education.”

The ADP will open doors for women with disabilities and will help them overcome the stigma and discrimination they face while elevating their voices. Senzeni stresses: “We need to facilitate spaces and opportunities that ensure women and girls with disabilities are engaged and can speak out more.” Overall, there is a need for greater visibility and capacity-building among women and girls with disabilities in areas such as health, education and employment.

“By giving opportunities to women and girls with disabilities, we can have meaningful empowerment.”

We need to facilitate spaces and opportunities that ensure women and girls with disabilities are engaged and can speak.
Senzeni, Equal Zimbabwe
Senzeni Mutevedzi, a member of the Equal Zimbabwe steering committee, speaks at the launch event.

Overcoming cultural barriers

Despite the ADP’s potential, Senzeni acknowledges the significant cultural and social barriers that could hinder its implementation. In many African communities, traditional beliefs confine women and girls with disabilities to the background, limiting their opportunity to participate in society. She notes: “I feel that women and girls should be more involved in disability-inclusive programmes. There’s a gap where we talk about disability, inclusion and rights because our traditional beliefs and our culture put women and girls in the background. Everything limits equal opportunities for women and girls with disabilities.”

These entrenched cultural practices pose a challenge. This is especially true when working alongside traditional leaders in rural areas who may be resistant to change. Senzeni advises: “We need to work with organisations of people with disabilities and leaders to create room for women and girls with disabilities.” Encouraging collaborative efforts will help to shift mindsets and create inclusive spaces.

The need for awareness and policy alignment

Another challenge Senzeni identified is the lack of awareness among people with disabilities about their rights under the ADP. She points out: “Many people with disabilities are not aware of the contents or the rights that are protected in the ADP. It can be challenging for someone to fight for a right they are not aware of.”

In all African Union nations, aligning national policies with the goals of the ADP will be crucial for successful implementation. Senzeni observes: “Some of the policies we have in Zimbabwe are not talking the same language as the ADP. We might have a challenge where the ADP goes on its own way, while other national policies are going in the other direction.”

To overcome these obstacles, Senzeni advocates for creating a platform that will allow national policies, laws and the ADP to work in harmony. She says: “If we can create a platform to marry all the acts, laws or policies to speak the same language as the ADP then we can overcome many challenges.”

The promise of the ADP for women and girls with disabilities

Looking ahead, Senzeni sees the implementation of the ADP as a transformative moment for women and girls with disabilities in Zimbabwe and beyond. She says: “The implementation of the ADP will mean a lot for women and girls with disabilities, given the challenges that they have been facing now … We will see empowered women become independent. It will mean women with disabilities have decision-making positions. Women will be making policies that speak directly to their rights.” 

Senzeni also highlights the broader benefits that the ADP can bring, particularly in combating abuse and poverty. She states that “the eradication of abuse of women and girls with disabilities, and the eradication of poverty” are all part of the promise that the ADP holds. 

A call to action

As Zimbabwe and other African countries move forward with implementing the ADP, Senzeni stresses the importance of continuing to engage women and girls with disabilities in decision-making processes. For her, effective implementation would be “having women with disabilities in decision-making positions, having women making their own policies that can speak to the rights of women directly”. 

The ADP offers a vital framework for not just the protection, but also the active empowerment of women and girls with disabilities. We must ensure this framework is fully realised so that every woman and girl with a disability can access their rights, pursue their dreams and contribute to a more inclusive society. Through collective effort and commitment, the ADP can become the powerful tool for change that millions of women and girls with disabilities across Africa desperately need. 

“The implementation of the ADP will mean a lot for women and girls with disabilities, given the challenges they’ve been facing.”

Want to hear more about the Equal World campaign?

A young girl, who has albinism, sitting in a classroom. She is wearing a face mask.
Eleven-year-old Noutene, who has albinism, attends an inclusive school in Mali.
Brighten up your inbox! Sign up for regular updates and join our global community of supporters fighting for a more equal world.
Campaigns

Equal World: Our campaign for disability rights

  • News
  • Campaign voices
  • Where we campaign
  • Why we campaign
  • About us
  • Accessibility
    • Privacy policy Modern slavery statement Terms and conditions

    © 2025