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

Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign has supported the ADP to come into force across Africa, protecting disability rights for the 80 million people with disabilities living on the continent.

In 2022, Equal World launched the #RatifyTheADP campaign and worked with partners including the African Union, Africa Disability Alliance and African Disability Forum, as well as campaigners across 13 countries to call on African governments to pass the legislation.

What’s been achieved?

The protocol is the first African human rights treaty that addresses specific forms of discrimination affecting people with disabilities on the continent, such as harmful practices, beliefs and superstitions.

The ADP has now been ratified across the African Union, a huge step for disabilities rights across the continent. The campaign is now calling on countries that have ratified to update their national disability laws in line with the treaty, and calls on other countries that have not yet ratified to take the step.