Engaging with Disability Organisations in Uganda

Abstract

Summary: In Uganda, disabled peoples’ organizations (DPOs), disability unions and the national disability council have the systems and a mandate to respond to the needs of people with disabilities. This short report presents aspects of a survey conducted in 2015 which explored the extent to which people affected by leprosy engage with, and benefit from these generic disability organisations. Structured interviews were conducted with 144 people affected by leprosy, 102 people with other disabilities as well as with 86 service providers and workers in disability organisations. The survey showed evidence of the exclusion of people affected by leprosy from the disabled people’s organizations. The survey identified key reasons for such exclusion, from the perspective of service providers as well as from the perspective of people with leprosy-related and other forms of disability. Suggestions for addressing this concern are noted.