Promoting Equality, Protecting Children, and Building an Inclusive Society
Introduction
TESFA Refugees with Disabilities Association believes that every person, regardless of gender, age, disability, nationality, or social background, has the right to live in dignity, safety, equality, and freedom from discrimination. Women, girls, boys, and other vulnerable groups among refugee communities often face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect, and exclusion.
The Gender, Child Protection & Inclusion Program is dedicated to promoting gender equality, protecting children from all forms of abuse and exploitation, and ensuring that refugees with disabilities fully participate in every aspect of society. The programme works to create safe, inclusive, and empowering environments where everyone can reach their full potential without fear or discrimination.
TESFA collaborates with government institutions, child protection agencies, women’s organizations, disability organizations, humanitarian agencies, educational institutions, healthcare providers, and community leaders to strengthen protection systems and promote inclusive development.
Background
Refugees with disabilities—especially women, girls, and children—are among the most vulnerable populations during displacement. They often face:
- Gender-based violence.
- Sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Child labour.
- Child marriage.
- Human trafficking.
- Bullying and discrimination.
- School exclusion.
- Family separation.
- Limited access to justice.
- Limited participation in decision-making.
Disability may further increase vulnerability because of inaccessible reporting systems, communication barriers, social stigma, and limited awareness of rights.
TESFA recognizes that protecting vulnerable individuals and promoting inclusion are essential for achieving sustainable development and peaceful communities.
Why This Program Matters
Promoting gender equality and child protection helps to:
- Protect human dignity.
- Prevent violence and abuse.
- Promote equal opportunities.
- Improve education outcomes.
- Strengthen family and community relationships.
- Increase participation of women and girls.
- Build safer communities.
- Promote respect for diversity.
- Reduce discrimination.
- Ensure no one is left behind.
Vision
A society where women, men, girls, boys, and persons with disabilities enjoy equal rights, protection, opportunities, and full participation without discrimination or violence.
Mission
To promote gender equality, protect children, prevent violence and exploitation, strengthen inclusion, and empower vulnerable refugees with disabilities through advocacy, education, partnerships, and community engagement.
Goal
To create safe, inclusive, and equitable communities where refugees with disabilities—particularly women and children—are protected, respected, empowered, and able to participate fully in society.
Objectives
The Gender, Child Protection & Inclusion Program aims to:
- Promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.
- Prevent gender-based violence (GBV).
- Protect children from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence.
- Promote disability inclusion in all programmes.
- Strengthen safeguarding systems.
- Increase awareness of child rights and women’s rights.
- Encourage equal participation in leadership.
- Promote inclusive education and services.
- Strengthen referral pathways for survivors.
- Build community awareness and responsibility.
Our Services
TESFA provides a comprehensive range of protection and inclusion services.
Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment
TESFA promotes equal opportunities by:
- Supporting women’s leadership.
- Encouraging women’s participation in decision-making.
- Promoting equal access to education and employment.
- Supporting women entrepreneurs.
- Organizing women’s leadership forums.
- Providing life-skills and confidence-building training.
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention
TESFA works to prevent:
- Domestic violence.
- Sexual violence.
- Emotional abuse.
- Economic abuse.
- Harmful traditional practices.
- Workplace harassment.
Activities include:
- Community awareness campaigns.
- GBV prevention workshops.
- Survivor-centred referrals.
- Community dialogues.
- Men’s engagement programmes.
- Youth awareness sessions.
Child Protection
TESFA promotes children’s safety and well-being through:
- Child safeguarding awareness.
- Child rights education.
- Child-friendly activities.
- Parenting education.
- Family strengthening.
- Child participation initiatives.
- Early identification of children at risk.
- Referral to specialized protection services.
Safeguarding
TESFA is committed to protecting all beneficiaries from:
- Abuse.
- Exploitation.
- Neglect.
- Harassment.
- Bullying.
- Sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).
The association maintains safeguarding policies, confidential reporting mechanisms, and staff training to ensure a safe environment.
Case Management and Referral
TESFA provides confidential support by referring individuals to appropriate services, including:
- Healthcare.
- Psychosocial support.
- Legal aid.
- Child protection services.
- Safe shelters.
- Police services.
- Social welfare offices.
- Specialized NGOs.
Disability Inclusion
TESFA promotes inclusion by ensuring:
- Accessible meetings and events.
- Inclusive education.
- Accessible communication.
- Equal employment opportunities.
- Barrier-free participation.
- Sign language interpretation where possible.
- Accessible information formats.
Community Awareness
TESFA conducts awareness campaigns on:
- Gender equality.
- Disability rights.
- Child rights.
- Prevention of violence.
- Positive parenting.
- Inclusion.
- Human rights.
Diversity and respect.
Youth and Adolescent Empowerment
Special programmes support young people through:
- Life skills training.
- Reproductive health education.
- Leadership development.
- Peer education.
- Sports and recreation.
- Career guidance.
- Digital literacy.
Key Activities
The programme implements:
- Gender equality campaigns.
- Child protection workshops.
- Women’s leadership training.
- Parenting education sessions.
- Community dialogues.
- Disability inclusion training.
- School awareness programmes.
- Youth forums.
- International Women’s Day celebrations.
- International Day of the Girl Child events.
- Universal Children’s Day activities.
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrations.
- 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaigns.
- Safeguarding training for staff and volunteers.
Target Beneficiaries
This programme serves:
- Women with disabilities.
- Girls with disabilities.
- Boys with disabilities.
- Refugee children.
- Youth.
- Single mothers.
- Female-headed households.
- Survivors of violence.
- Caregivers.
- Families.
- Community leaders.
- Host communities.
Expected Outcomes
TESFA expects to achieve:
- Increased gender equality.
- Reduced gender-based violence.
- Better child protection.
- Increased participation of women in leadership.
- Safer communities.
- Greater disability inclusion.
- Increased awareness of rights.
- Stronger safeguarding systems.
- Improved access to protection services.
- Greater respect for diversity.
Success Indicators
The programme measures success through:
- Number of awareness campaigns conducted.
- Number of women participating in leadership roles.
- Number of child protection cases referred.
- Number of safeguarding trainings completed.
- Number of beneficiaries receiving protection services.
- Increased community awareness.
- Reduced reports of discrimination.
- Improved participation of women, children, and persons with disabilities.
- Beneficiary satisfaction.
- Number of partnerships established.
How We Implement
This Program
TESFA delivers this programme through:
- Community outreach.
- Awareness campaigns.
- Training workshops.
- Peer education.
- Partnerships with protection agencies.
- Referral mechanisms.
- Community volunteers.
- School engagement.
- Monitoring and evaluation.
- Continuous safeguarding and accountability.
Strategic Partnerships
TESFA works with:
- Government Women’s and Children’s Affairs Offices.
- Social Welfare Offices.
- Child Protection Agencies.
- UNHCR.
- UNICEF.
- UN Women.
- Local and international NGOs.
- Schools and universities.
- Healthcare providers.
- Legal aid organizations.
- Community leaders.
- Faith-based organizations.
Sustainability Strategy
TESFA ensures long-term impact by:
- Training community protection volunteers.
- Building the leadership capacity of women and youth.
- Establishing community safeguarding committees.
- Integrating gender and inclusion into all TESFA programmes.
- Strengthening partnerships with protection actors.
- Promoting community ownership of child protection initiatives.
- Monitoring progress and continuously improving services.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who can benefit from this programme?
The programme supports refugees with disabilities of all ages, with particular attention to women, girls, boys, youth, caregivers, and survivors of violence or abuse.
Does TESFA investigate protection cases?
No. TESFA provides initial support, confidential guidance, and referrals to competent authorities and specialized service providers while respecting the dignity and privacy of survivors.
Can men and boys participate?
Yes. TESFA believes that achieving gender equality requires the active participation of women, men, girls, and boys.
How are reports of abuse handled?
All reports are treated confidentially and handled according to TESFA’s safeguarding policy, with referrals made to appropriate protection services where necessary.
How can I support this programme?
You can volunteer, donate, sponsor awareness campaigns, provide professional expertise, or partner with TESFA to strengthen protection and inclusion initiatives.
Get Involved
Everyone has a role in creating a safer and more inclusive community. You can support this programme by:
- Promoting gender equality and disability inclusion.
- Reporting abuse, exploitation, or discrimination through appropriate channels.
- Volunteering in community awareness campaigns.
- Mentoring women, youth, and children.
- Supporting child-friendly and inclusive activities.
- Partnering with TESFA to strengthen safeguarding and protection services.
- Donating to programmes that empower women, protect children, and promote inclusion.
Together, we can build a future where every woman, man, girl, boy, and person with a disability lives free from violence, enjoys equal opportunities, and participates fully in community life.
Contact the Gender, Child Protection & Inclusion Program
TESFA Refugees with Disabilities Association
📧 Email: gender@tesfa.com.et/ child@tesfa.com.et
🌐 Website: www.tesfa.com.et
“Equality creates opportunity, protection preserves dignity, and inclusion strengthens communities. Together, we can ensure that every refugee with a disability is safe, respected, empowered, and never left behind.”
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