We are looking to build a project that critically assesses current child protection standards for the inclusion of children with disabilities in Tanzania, putting children’s participation at the heart of our work.
Our experience in implementing inclusive education projects in Tanzania has demonstrated that children with disabilities’ access and achievement in education is significantly impacted by the real threat of violence and abuse they experience. For many children with disabilities, this includes neglect or the risk of abuse from caregivers such as parents, teachers or even peers in their classroom.
Due to their marginalisation and a lack of personal and sexual education, children with disabilities are often unaware they are being abused. Child-friendly spaces to discuss issues remain underdeveloped, and with a lack of support and reporting systems, children with disabilities do not often report the abuse they experience.
As the inclusion of children with disabilities has become an increased area of focus within Tanzania, there is the need for a project that assesses standards for inclusive safeguarding and provides a toolkit to include children with disabilities and effectively protect them.
Innovating further, we want to embed our learning in child-led approaches, empowering children to act as child protection advocates and agents of change in their communities.
