DIWA collaborates with African Disability Forum to build leadership capacity for young women with disabilities in 16 countries held in Ethiopia
Lilongwe, Malawi – April 2025
Disabled Women in Africa (DIWA), in partnership with the African Disability Forum (ADF), has launched an 8-month continental leadership capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening the leadership, advocacy, and movement-building skills of young women with disabilities across 16 African countries ( Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Uganda, Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Mozambique, Gambia, Morrocco, Botswana, Ghana and Kenya).
The initiative, supported with funding from the Wellspring Foundation, seeks to nurture a new generation of confident, informed, and influential women leaders with disabilities who can shape policies, drive community change, and champion inclusion within national and regional movements.
Over the next eight months, the program will equip participants through mentorship, peer learning, advocacy coaching, and regional networking, delivered through both virtual and in-person sessions facilitated by experienced women leaders and experts from across the continent.
Speaking at the program launch, Ruth Mkutumula, Executive Director of DIWA, emphasized the importance of investing in women’s leadership as a pathway to inclusion and transformation:
“TIntergenerational leadership is about continuity, solidarity, and transformation,” said Ruth Mkutumula, Executive Director of DIWA. “By investing in young women with disabilities, we are ensuring that the future of our movement is strong, diverse, and resilient.”
The initiative aligns with DIWA and ADF’s shared commitment to advancing the African Disability Protocol (ADP) and promoting women’s participation in governance, advocacy, and development processes at all levels.
Throughout the program, participants will engage in thematic sessions on:
- Transformational and feminist leadership
- Advocacy for disability and gender rights
- Inclusive governance and accountability
- Digital empowerment and communication
- Self-advocacy, storytelling, and mentorship
The video below shows the introductory remarks for the meeting.