Promoting Equality, Protecting Rights, Empowering Lives
Introduction
TESFA Refugees with Disabilities Association is committed to promoting, protecting, and advancing the rights, dignity, equality, and inclusion of refugees with disabilities. We believe that every refugee, regardless of disability, deserves equal access to protection, education, healthcare, employment, justice, humanitarian assistance, and opportunities for self-reliance.
Despite international and national legal protections, refugees with disabilities continue to face discrimination, exclusion, inaccessible services, limited participation in decision-making, unemployment, social isolation, and multiple forms of vulnerability. These challenges are often compounded by displacement, poverty, gender inequality, language barriers, and limited awareness of disability rights.
TESFA works collaboratively with government institutions, humanitarian organizations, disability organizations, community leaders, UN agencies, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners to ensure that refugees with disabilities enjoy their full human rights and actively participate in society.
Our Advocacy and Rights Protection Program serves as the voice of refugees with disabilities by promoting inclusive policies, strengthening legal protection, raising public awareness, combating discrimination, and empowering individuals to claim and exercise their rights.
Background
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), every person with a disability has the right to live independently, participate fully in society, and enjoy equal opportunities without discrimination. Refugees are also protected under international refugee law, including the 1951 Refugee Convention and other human rights instruments.
However, refugees with disabilities often experience “double vulnerability”—first as refugees and second as persons with disabilities. Many encounter barriers such as inaccessible public services, lack of assistive devices, discrimination in education and employment, inadequate healthcare, limited access to justice, and exclusion from humanitarian programs.
TESFA recognizes these challenges and is committed to promoting disability-inclusive humanitarian and development responses while ensuring that refugees with disabilities are heard, respected, and represented.
Why This Program Matters
Advocacy is essential because many refugees with disabilities:
- Face discrimination and stigma.
- Lack access to education and healthcare.
- Experience unemployment and poverty.
- Are excluded from community decision-making.
- Have limited access to legal protection.
- Encounter inaccessible infrastructure and communication.
- Have insufficient access to humanitarian assistance.
- Lack information about their rights and available services.
Through advocacy, TESFA works to remove these barriers and create an inclusive society where refugees with disabilities can live with dignity and equal opportunity.
Vision
A society where every refugee with a disability enjoys equal rights, protection, dignity, inclusion, and opportunities to participate fully in all aspects of life without discrimination.
Mission
To promote and protect the rights of refugees with disabilities through advocacy, awareness, legal empowerment, policy engagement, strategic partnerships, and community participation.
Goal
To ensure that refugees with disabilities enjoy equal rights, access quality services, participate in decision-making, and live with dignity, independence, and self-reliance.
Objectives
The Advocacy & Rights Protection Program aims to:
- Promote disability rights and refugee rights.
- Advocate for inclusive laws, policies, and practices.
- Increase awareness of disability inclusion.
- Reduce discrimination and stigma.
- Promote equal access to education, healthcare, employment, and humanitarian services.
- Strengthen legal protection and access to justice.
- Encourage leadership among refugees with disabilities.
- Build partnerships that promote inclusion.
- Increase participation in decision-making processes.
- Strengthen community accountability.
Our Services
TESFA provides a wide range of advocacy and protection services, including:
Disability Rights Awareness
Educating communities, institutions, and refugees on disability rights and inclusion.
Legal Information and Referral
Providing legal information and referring members to appropriate legal service providers.
Human Rights Monitoring
Documenting rights violations and identifying barriers affecting refugees with disabilities.
Policy Engagement
Working with government institutions and partners to improve laws, policies, and practices.
Community Mobilization
Encouraging communities to promote inclusion and eliminate discrimination.
Leadership Development
Supporting refugees with disabilities to become community leaders and advocates.
Public Awareness
Campaigns
Organizing campaigns that promote respect, equality, and accessibility.
Stakeholder Coordination
Collaborating with humanitarian organizations, disability organizations, universities, donors, and government institutions.
Key Activities
Our activities include:
- Community awareness campaigns.
- Rights education workshops.
- Public forums and dialogues.
- Advocacy meetings.
- Disability inclusion training.
- Policy review consultations.
- Human rights monitoring.
- Legal referral services.
- Community outreach.
- Media campaigns.
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrations.
- World Refugee Day activities.
- School awareness programs.
- Youth engagement.
- Women’s empowerment forums.
- Stakeholder coordination meetings.
- Publication of advocacy materials.
- Social media advocacy campaigns.
Target Beneficiaries
This program primarily serves:
- Refugees with physical disabilities.
- Refugees with visual impairments.
- Refugees with hearing impairments.
- Refugees with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
- Women and girls with disabilities.
- Children with disabilities.
- Older persons with disabilities.
- Youth with disabilities.
- Caregivers and families.
- Host communities.
- Government institutions.
- Humanitarian organizations.
Expected Outcomes
Through this program, TESFA expects to achieve:
- Increased awareness of disability rights.
- Reduced discrimination and stigma.
- Improved access to education.
- Improved healthcare access.
- Increased employment opportunities.
- Better legal protection.
- Stronger disability-inclusive policies.
- Greater participation of refugees with disabilities in decision-making.
- Improved collaboration among stakeholders.
- Enhanced social inclusion.
Success Indicators
Success will be measured by:
- Number of awareness campaigns conducted.
- Number of people reached.
- Number of advocacy meetings held.
- Number of policies influenced.
- Number of legal referrals made.
- Number of beneficiaries accessing services.
- Increase in community participation.
- Reduction in reported discrimination cases.
- Growth in strategic partnerships.
How We Implement This Program
TESFA implements this program through:
- Community outreach.
- Partnerships with government institutions.
- Collaboration with UN agencies.
- Cooperation with NGOs.
- Volunteer engagement.
- Research and evidence generation.
- Capacity building.
- Public awareness campaigns.
- Policy dialogue.
- Monitoring and evaluation.
Partnerships
TESFA collaborates with:
- Government ministries.
Refugee service providers. - Disability organizations.
- Universities.
- Schools.
- Health institutions.
- International NGOs.
- National NGOs.
- UN agencies.
- Development partners.
- Community organizations.
- Private sector institutions.
Sustainability
TESFA promotes sustainability by:
- Building local leadership.
- Training community advocates.
- Strengthening partnerships.
- Developing evidence-based advocacy.
- Mobilizing resources.
- Encouraging volunteerism.
- Promoting community ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who can receive advocacy support?
Any refugee with a disability seeking information, referrals, or advocacy support.
Do I need to be a TESFA member?
Membership is encouraged, but some services may also be available to non-members depending on the activity.
Does TESFA provide legal representation?
TESFA primarily offers legal information and referrals to qualified legal service providers.
How can I report discrimination?
You can contact TESFA through our office, website, email, or telephone for guidance and referral.
How can I participate in advocacy campaigns?
You can register as a member or volunteer and join our awareness campaigns, trainings, and community events.
Get Involved
Everyone has a role in promoting inclusion and protecting the rights of refugees with disabilities.
You can support this program by:
- Becoming a member of TESFA.
- Volunteering your time and expertise.
- Partnering with TESFA.
- Donating to support advocacy initiatives.
- Raising awareness in your community.
- Promoting disability inclusion in your workplace, school, or organization.
Together, we can build a society where refugees with disabilities are respected, empowered, and given equal opportunities to thrive.
Contact the Advocacy & Rights Protection Program
TESFA Refugees with Disabilities Association
📧 Email: advocacy@tesfa.com.et
🌐 Website: tesfa.com.et
“Together, we advocate for dignity, equality, inclusion, and justice for every refugee with a disability.”
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