Organization
Tanzania Federation of Organizations of Persons with Disability(SHIVYAWATA)
Tanzania's national federation of Disabled Persons' Organisations, founded in 1992, uniting 12 member organisations to advocate for the rights, dignity, and full participation of persons with disabilities across education, health, employment, and social protection sectors nationwide.
About
The Tanzania Federation of Organizations of Persons with Disability, widely known by its Swahili acronym SHIVYAWATA, is a national umbrella body founded in 1992. SHIVYAWATA brings together 12 national Disabled Persons' Organisations, each representing a distinct disability constituency — physical, sensory, intellectual, and psychosocial — and coordinates collective advocacy across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
What They Do
SHIVYAWATA operates through three strategic pillars: unity (strengthening collective advocacy capacity), protection (safeguarding rights and legal interests of DPO members and beneficiaries), and networking (building government, political, and international partnerships). The federation drives disability rights into national policy, engages Parliament on inclusive legislation, and coordinates projects across social protection, gender equality, employment, health, and education.
Who They Serve
SHIVYAWATA serves Tanzanians with all types of disability through its 12 member organisations, which include bodies focused on physical disability, visual impairment, hearing loss, albinism, intellectual disability, and mental health. The federation advocates for persons with disabilities who face compounded exclusion from public services, ensuring representation from both urban centres and rural and island communities.
Related Organizations
National Disability Rights Network(NDRN)
FeaturedWashington, DCNationalNDRN is the membership association for the federally mandated Protection & Advocacy (P&A) and Client Assistance Program (CAP) organisations in every US state and territory. P&A organisations provide free legal advocacy and representation to people with disabilities — with a combined budget of over $150 million, they are the largest provider of legal services to people with disabilities in the US.
Mixed LeadershipCross-DisabilityLegal AdvocacyDisability Rights Advocates(DRA)
Oakland, CANationalDRA is a national non-profit legal centre that enforces civil rights for people with all types of disabilities through impact litigation — targeting systemic barriers and setting precedents that benefit entire communities rather than individual clients.
Mixed LeadershipCross-DisabilityLegal AdvocacyAmerican Association of People with Disabilities(AAPD)
Washington, DCNationalAAPD is a national disability membership organisation focused on increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities, with a particular emphasis on civic engagement, voting rights, and economic advancement.
Disabled-LedCross-DisabilityAdvocacy