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The compendium also shares good practices for ensuring services for preventing gender-based violence and helping the survivors. In fact, two hospitals have already been established as centres of excellence on this topic.
Partners involved include: Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission, World Council of Churches Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, Fida International, Free Pentecostal Church in Tanzania, Selian Lutheran Hospital, Nkinga Refferal Hospital, and Tanzania Federation of Disabled Peoples Organisation.
"What inspires me most is that women with disabilities have been in the driver’s seat of this project and their leadership has been strengthened through programming not just in the disability movement in Tanzania but also beyond in their communities and society,” said Dr Virpi Mesiäislehto, senior country programme adviser for Fida International and a contributor to the compendium.
“Another thing which is quite inspiring is that issues which have long been stigmatized and silenced—particularly those related to the bodily autonomy of persons with disabilities—are now being invested in and programmed into actionable initiatives,” added Mesiäislehto.
While the compendium aims at a systems-level change in the health sector in Tanzania and beyond, at its core, it’s about creating a world where every Fatima, Maria, or Neema who seeks access to lifesaving sexual and reproductive health or gender-based violence services is received by a healthcare provider who is fully equipped to receive her with dignity and respect.
“It’s about ensuring that no woman or girl is turned away, dismissed, or subjected to further harm because of her disability,” said Mesiäislehto.
Another contributor, Patricia Mwaikenda, team leader for Sustainable Livelihood and Empowerment Programs of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), said she was inspired to be part of a meaningful journey—even though at the beginning one could not tell that faith-based organizations would be the pioneers of the implementation of the policy brief.
“I was also inspired to be one person contributing to telling the story of these guiding notes,” she said. “I was able to recall back where it started it was 2021 when ELCT participated and took an active role of bringing the interfaith on board during the National Dialogue organized in 2021.”
Mwaikenda said that consistency and continuity are highly meaningful. “The dialogue created a unique platform for meaningful conversation about strategies and actions to navigate the major obstacles to the fulfilment of women’s and young people’s human rights and the aspirations for gender equality for persons with disabilities, which resulted in a multi-stakeholder policy brief with outlined foundational guidelines for future action,” she said. “As a result, this compendium is not complete unless Her Resilience Enabled Project is part of it because this is the practical action for the policy belief developed.”
Mwaikenda said she felt energized by the practical information included in the compendium.
“This journey has contributed to my personal growth,” she said, adding that she envisions good practices being used by traditional leaders, religious and government leaders, and service providers at Selian Hospital. “I feel proud I have been part of the team who contributed to this compendium,” she concluded.
Many faith-based organizations work in Tanzania’s health sector, added Mwaikenda. “They usually learn from one another.”
Happiness R. Koisianga, secretary of Shivyawata Federation of People with Disability, Arusha Region, explained the involvement in the process of making Selian Hospital a centre of excellence for sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence services.
“We are involved in the training of all workers how to engage and communicate with people with disability,” she said. “I advised the hospital management about accessibility of sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence services for girls and women with disability. I'm involved in preparing the compendium of good practices which helps the inclusion of women and girls in these services.”
