‘If you do not have a seat at the table when decisions are being made, you are probably on the menu,’ Elizabeth Warren.
Recognizing that Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have the same sexual and reproductive health needs and rights as everyone else, yet remain widely marginalized in Uganda due to limited access to quality services and information, TAHI developed the M’Voices project. This initiative aims to strengthen youth-led organizations by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to advocate for the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) of Persons with Disabilities at the district level.
The implementation of the second phase of this project commenced on the 3rd February 2025 with a 3-day Disability Training Fellowship held at Eureka Palace Hotel, Ntinda, in Kampala district relating to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Disability Policy, Accountability, and Advocacy, involving 20 Youths with Disabilities who were competitively selected from 5 Ugandan districts inclusive of Mukono, Kampala, Wakiso, Luwero, and Masaka. The fellowship was facilitated by Joweria Namulondo, an SRHR Gender and Disability Expert, and Doreen Nabuule an Expert in Disability Inclusivity.
During the workshop, the participants were involved in several sessions relating to Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights components, and the SRHR principles and their intersection with Young People with Disabilities, where they also identified the barriers that PWDs face in attaining these rights. They raised concerns that young people with disabilities are still facing teenage pregnancies, Gender-Based Violence, Sexually Transmitted infections with little or no health care for PWDs, lack of information on menstrual hygiene, unsafe abortions, and forced marriages.
Moreover, they noted that young persons with Disabilities are hindered from accessing sexual and reproductive help services due to Limited accessible formatted information regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, physical barriers to accessing health Services Centers, and Discrimination in service delivery.
They were sensitized about the International, regional, and Ugandan policy and legal framework on SRHR for PWDs, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Uganda Person with Disabilities Act,2020. They were also equipped with skills in SRHR advocacy and accountability strategies tailored to the specific challenges identified in their respective districts.
Way Forward
At the end of the training, participants were tasked with developing an advocacy road map, which they will use to guide their six-month advocacy projects running from February to September 2025. We are confident that this dynamic team is now well-equipped to advocate for the sexual and reproductive health rights of other Persons with Disabilities, ensuring their voices are heard by policymakers in their respective districts.
