Project Report: “Her Resilience Enabled” – Advancing Sustainable Development Goals for Women with Disabilities in Tanzania

Introduction: A Multi-faceted Approach to Sustainable Development

The “Her Resilience Enabled” project, initiated by the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, represents a targeted effort to advance several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing the rights and health of women with disabilities in Tanzania. The project’s framework is built on a foundation of faith and justice, creating multi-stakeholder partnerships to drive systemic change. Its core activities directly contribute to:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, by ensuring access to sexual and reproductive healthcare.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality, by empowering women with disabilities and combating gender-based violence.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, by challenging stigma and promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, by uniting communities, hospitals, policymakers, and interfaith leaders.

Tackling Inequality and Empowering Women (SDG 5 & SDG 10)

Challenging Pre-existing Stigma

The project directly confronts the deep-seated discrimination faced by women with disabilities, a critical barrier to achieving SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). According to Happiness Koisianga of the Tanzania Federation of Disabled People’s Organisations, women with disabilities were previously subjected to severe stigma, often deemed unfit for marriage and questioned by healthcare workers about their pregnancies. This environment systematically denied them their fundamental rights, undermining the principles of SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

Empowerment through Knowledge and Advocacy

To counteract these challenges, the project has implemented a robust educational strategy focused on empowerment.

1. Community Awareness: Through community dialogues, media outreach, and church-led discussions, the project has successfully begun to shift ingrained attitudes, fostering greater inclusion and understanding.
2. Rights-Based Training: Women and girls with disabilities are trained in sexual and reproductive health and rights. This equips them with the knowledge to make informed decisions, protect themselves from abuse, and access necessary care, directly supporting SDG 3 and SDG 5.

Tatu Kondo, a project participant, described the training as life-changing, stating, “The knowledge that I have received through this project has changed my life. It has removed the cultural and traditional beliefs that I had about sexuality.” This personal transformation is a key indicator of progress towards achieving gender equality and reducing inequalities.

Improving Healthcare Access and Quality (SDG 3)

Developing Inclusive Health Infrastructure

A major focus has been the transformation of Selian Lutheran Hospital in Arusha to ensure its services are fully accessible, a tangible step towards SDG 3. Key interventions include:

• Installation of ramps for physical accessibility.
• Procurement of accessible examination tables.
• Comprehensive training for healthcare providers on disability inclusion.

Dr. Amon Marti, the hospital’s executive director, emphasized that “Accessible structures in the context of health services mean transforming the physical environment to ensure that medical services can actually be reached by persons with disabilities.”

Building Staff Capacity for Inclusive Service Delivery

The project recognizes that physical infrastructure must be complemented by human capacity. Dr. Marti noted, “Trained staff make another milestone in delivering accessible services to clients with disabilities.” By ensuring clinical and general staff can effectively engage with persons with disabilities, the project enhances the quality of care, a core component of achieving universal health coverage under SDG 3.

Strengthening Partnerships for Inclusive Justice (SDG 16 & SDG 17)

Mobilizing Faith Leaders as Agents of Change

In alignment with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), the project has strategically partnered with faith leaders to champion inclusion and justice. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) has been instrumental in this effort. Rogath Lewis Mollel, ELCT Secretary General, confirmed that since 2022, the church has actively promoted “disability inclusive sexual and reproductive health rights and gender-based violence response,” facilitating vital interfaith dialogues on the subject. This work strengthens local institutions and promotes a just society, contributing to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Fostering Interfaith Collaboration

The partnership extends across different faiths, demonstrating a broad coalition for change. Sheikh Hassan Said from Arusha highlighted the growing engagement of Muslim leaders in addressing gender-based violence, explaining that the topic is now being integrated into discussions with both young men and women in madrassas. This collaborative, interfaith approach is a powerful example of SDG 17 in action.

Conclusion: An Integrated Vision for Leaving No One Behind

The “Her Resilience Enabled” project exemplifies an integrated strategy for achieving the SDGs. Anjeline Okola, WCC programme coordinator, stressed that a holistic approach is essential “to ensure that no one is left behind on issues of sexual and reproductive health rights and gender-based violence response.” By fostering deep listening, community dialogue, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, the initiative is creating a sustainable model for ensuring the rights, health, and dignity of women with disabilities are upheld.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The article focuses heavily on sexual and reproductive health and rights for women with disabilities. It discusses access to family planning, healthcare services, and the need for trained healthcare providers, all of which are central to SDG 3. The project’s work with Selian Lutheran Hospital to improve services directly addresses this goal.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• The project, “Her Resilience Enabled,” specifically targets women and girls with disabilities, aiming to empower them and end the discrimination they face. It addresses issues like forced family planning, stigma around pregnancy, gender-based violence, and ensuring women can make their own choices about their reproductive health, which are core components of SDG 5.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The central theme of the article is the inclusion of a marginalized group—persons with disabilities, particularly women. The project works to dismantle stigma and ensure that women with disabilities are not “invisible” or “denied the right to make choices,” directly aligning with the goal of empowering and promoting the social inclusion of all, irrespective of disability.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The article highlights a multi-stakeholder partnership as the foundation of the project’s success. It describes a collaboration between the World Council of Churches (WCC), a local disabled people’s organization (Tanzania Federation of Disabled People’s Organisations), a hospital (Selian Lutheran Hospital), policymakers, and various faith leaders (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, Muslim leaders). This collaborative approach is the essence of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

1. Target 3.7: “By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education…” The article directly relates to this by describing how the project “trains women and girls with disabilities in sexual and reproductive health and rights” and addresses issues where girls were previously taken to hospitals for family planning without their consent.
2. Target 3.8: “Achieve universal health coverage… access to quality essential health-care services…” The effort to make Selian Lutheran Hospital accessible by “adding ramps, installing accessible examination tables, and training healthcare providers on disability inclusion” is a direct action towards achieving universal health coverage that is inclusive of persons with disabilities.

Under SDG 5: Gender Equality

1. Target 5.1: “End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.” The project tackles the “stigma in the community” and the discriminatory belief that women with disabilities “were not considered to be fit for marriage.”
2. Target 5.2: “Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls…” The article explicitly mentions that the project promotes “gender-based violence response” and that faith leaders are including “gender-based violence trainings in madrassas.”
3. Target 5.6: “Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights…” The project empowers women with disabilities to “make informed decisions” and overcome the “taboo topic” of sexuality, giving them control over their reproductive rights, which they were previously “denied.”

Under SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

1. Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social… inclusion of all, irrespective of… disability…” The entire project is designed to combat the fact that “women with disabilities are often invisible” and to foster “love, understanding, and inclusion” through community dialogues and awareness campaigns.
2. Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory… practices…” The project works to change discriminatory practices by healthcare workers who would question how a woman with a disability became pregnant and by challenging “cultural and traditional beliefs” that acted as barriers.

Under SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

1. Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” The article is a case study of this target in action, describing how the project “unites communities, hospitals, policymakers, and faith leaders to create lasting change.” It names specific partners like the WCC, Tanzania Federation of Disabled People’s Organisations, Selian Lutheran Hospital, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for SDG 3 & 5 (Health and Gender Equality)

• Number of women and girls trained: The article states, “The project trains women and girls with disabilities in sexual and reproductive health and rights.” This is a direct, quantifiable indicator of progress.
• Changes in knowledge and attitudes among beneficiaries: The testimony of Tatu Kondo, who says, “The knowledge that I have received through this project has changed my life,” serves as a qualitative indicator of empowerment and informed decision-making.
• Number of trainings on gender-based violence: The mention of including “gender-based violence trainings in madrassas” implies that the number and reach of these sessions can be tracked as an indicator.

Indicators for SDG 3 & 10 (Health and Reduced Inequalities)

• Number of accessible healthcare facilities: The article explicitly mentions “adding ramps, installing accessible examination tables” at a specific hospital, which is a concrete, measurable indicator of improved physical accessibility.
• Number of healthcare staff trained: The statement that “Trained staff make another milestone in delivering accessible services” and the focus on “training healthcare providers on disability inclusion” suggests that the number of staff who have completed this training is a key performance indicator for the project.
• Reduction in reported stigma: The article notes a change from a time when healthcare workers would ask “how did this girl with a disability become pregnant?” to a present where “deeply ingrained attitudes began to change.” This shift, though qualitative, can be measured through surveys or focus groups.

Indicators for SDG 17 (Partnerships)

• Number and diversity of partners engaged: The article lists a variety of partners, including international faith-based networks (WCC), national disabled people’s organizations, local hospitals, and interfaith leaders (Christian and Muslim). The number and type of these active partners serve as an indicator of a successful multi-stakeholder partnership.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: oikoumene.org