Young disability rights activists take the lead.

Young Leaders in action.

From mapping disability movements to supporting gender equality activists, young disability rights activists are using their lived experience and expertise to make change in their communities.

We want to support the global network of young disability activists to become the next generation of changemakers in their communities to achieve their leadership potential for years to come.

We will help young activists build their leadership skills and give them the tools they need to effect change locally and globally. We want to support the next generation of activists to take action locally, within mainstream society and on the world stage.

I want to use my skills, experience, knowledge and voice to advocate for people with disability, so that everyone can know and realise their rights.
Sokhak, Young Leader in Cambodia.

Through a six-month Leadership Training we will provide young people with disabilities, particularly women, with an opportunity to experience working in an INGO environment, to develop their leadership capacities and creativity and explore the future direction of their leadership and activism.

Strengthening the Disability Rights Movement.

Young Leaders in Sudan, Cambodia and Tanzania are working with disability rights activists to conduct a detailed study of the disability movement and identify how it can be more resilient.

ADD has been supporting disabled people to come together in their own organisations to raise their own voices and fight for their own rights for over 30 years.

I have had the chance to help strengthen the disability rights movement. I have visited organisations of people with disability, created networks between different organisations and shared what we have learnt. Many of these people have been ignored, but we listen.
Elkhansa, Young Leader in Sudan

In this project, we will work with activist partners to maximise the Sudan disability movement’s effectiveness and ability to adapt to a dynamic global and national context that is experiencing deep changes in aid, food security, technology and communications, and climate change.

Our mapping will help the future development of the disability movement, to determine how it needs to be strengthened, to respond to new opportunities and threats, so it becomes more effective in supporting disabled people nationally.

Advocating for Change.

In addition to this, the young leaders are learning about their rights, and the disability laws and policies in their countries, in order to use this knowledge to advocate for better access to the workplace, decision-making spaces, and wider society.

Daniel and Dorice, two Tanzanian young leaders, are in animated conversation. They sit in front of their laptops gesturing to one another. Dorice wears a blue dress and white jewellery and Daniel wears a white shift and glasses. — Daniel and Dorice, young leaders from Tanzania.

As a growing future leader, this programme gives me clear and strong experience in doing advocacy work, a chance to create connections with key decision makers and stakeholders.
Daniel, Young Leader in Tanzania.

In many cases, there are policies in place but they are not being acted on. By sharing their knowledge with the wider disability rights movement, and advocating to decision-makers, these young leaders have been able to make real and lasting change.