Applied research on disability in Africa

The aim of this 4 years program run by FIRAH from 2014 to 2017, was to disseminate, promote and develop applied research and its results to an audience of researchers and those involved in the field of disability (in particular organisations for disabled people) on the African continent. The finality of this program is to increase knowledge of the lives of people with disabilities and set up practical recommendations for improving their rights and their social participation.

The actions over four years generated new research, but also permit a mapping of the main existing research, via the Resource Centre. This in turn we develop « sharing knowledge activities » between universities, disabled people organisations and disability services, enabling each to improve their practices and capacity to work together.

Applied research

An assessment of the social, cultural and institutional factors that contribute to sexual abuse of person with disabilities in East Africa
An applied research with Advantage Africa, University College London (UCL), Kibwezi Disabled person’s organisation Kenya and Uganda National Council for Disability.
Access to the page dedicated to the research.

The myth of asexuality ? Disability stigma as a barrier to sexual relashionships in South Africa
An applied research led by The University of East London, The Southern African Federation of the Disabled, SINTEF and Stellenbosch University
Access to the page dedicated to the research

An investigation into the impact of stigma on the education and life oppotunities available to children and young people with albinism in Tanzania and Uganda
A project led by Coventry University in partnership with Advantage Africa, Standing Voice, Source of the Nile Union of Persons with Albinism (SNUPA, Uganda) and New Light Children Center Organization (NELICO, Tanzania)
Access to the page dedicated to the research.

Ressource developped as part of the project

Sharing research results to field stakeholders – Methodological guide for developing implementation support tools

In order for applied research to have a real impact on the quality of life of persons with disabilities, FIRAH expects research projects that encourage collaboration between researchers and field stakeholders, and result in the concrete application of knowledge by means of implementation support tools that fulfil the needs and expectations of persons with disabilities.
This methodological guide is aimed at researchers and field stakeholders. Its aim is to support them in creating implementation support tools, in order to reinforce the scientific and social validity of these tools.
More specifically, this guide defines the nature of an implementation support tool, specifies the methodological phases for creating and distributing these tools, and emphasises the importance of communication and partnership in this process which stimulates innovation.
Access to the guide in PDF

Mappings

The goal of this literary review is to report on existing knowledge about applied research on East Africa, providing readers with access to a brief synthesis of knowledge written from selected documents, an initial list of documents submitted in an annotated bibliography and reading notes for those we consider a priority according to their capacity of being used by field stakeholders.

This work, which spans several thematic areas, does not intent to be comprehensive but to identify the results and knowledge generated by research that could be useful for field stakeholders in order to improve the quality of life and social participation for people with disabilities.

 

Sharing knowledge activities

Afri-CAN CBR Conference (Nairobi)
FIRAH’s provided a delegation with the opportunity to attend the 5th Afri-CAN CBR Conference in Nairobi in 2015. This is a major international conference which is a key place for sharing knowledge in community based rehabilitation. The delegation was composed of people with disabilities and people involved in Disabled People Organisations. Attendance at the conference provided these individuals with a rare opportunity to engage in the academic, research and policy area.
Report on attending the conference.
Bringing the gap between research and practice: working paper containing observations and discussions concerning the perceived gap between research findings and the application of those findings for the ultimate benefit of people with disabilities.

Workshop at Kyambogo University (Uganda)
The aim of workshop, coordonated by Advtantage Africa in 2016, was to bring together researchers from universities / research institutions with field stakeholders to investigate the connections and / or disconnections between applied disability research and its practical application to change practice and policy for the benefit of persons with disabilities.
Report of the workshop.
Guidelines on Designing and Conducting Applied (Action) Disability Research Projects Which Aim to Bring About Positive Change for Persons With Disabilities : a guide produced during the workshop.

Training in CBR Participatory Inclusive Evaluation (PIE) (Uganda)
The aim of the training, conducted in 2016, was to take a ‘means of application’ derived from research and start to put it into practical use with the participants.The means of application which formed the content of the training was the result of a research project entitled ‘Participatory Development of an Impact Evaluation Model and Toolkit for CBR - Uganda and Malawi’.
Report of the training.
Ressources used during the training.

Study Tour in Lome “How to define a participative research action between researchers and actors in the field ?” (Togo)
This study tour took place in 2017, and aimed to create a common reflection between researchers and disability organisations on the process to define objectives, planning and implementation of participatory research.
Access to the report (French)

Practical guide for producing a workshop to analyse the official disability determination mechanisms

The Practical guide for the organization of a workshop to analyze the official disability determination mechanisms results from a research carried out by GIFFOCH. It has been developped in partnership with african Disabled People Organisations. Dedicated to disability assessment mechanisms, it led to the development of an analytical grid for disability assessment procedures, by using the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as a reference base.The analytical methodology and grid were reviewed and tested in 2017 to better meet the needs of persons with disabilities and their associations.
This guide is therefore intended for organizations of people with disabilities who want to organize a workshop to analyze disability assessment practices and procedures in their countries, in the light of the CRPD. The guide includes a descriptive section, accompanied by documents that serve the various people involved in organizing the workshop (facilitators, note takers, participants themselves). You can consult the guide, as well as the support documents mentioned in the text, numbered from 1 to 6, in the document and respectively the archive below.
Access to the guide.
Document 1: Individual questionnaire (mentioned page 5 of the guide)
Document 2: Workshop – Facilitator’s version (mentioned page 7 of the guide)
Document 3: Workshop – Secretary’s version (mentioned page 7 of the guide)
Document 4: Workshop – Participant’s version (mentioned page 9 of the guide)
Document 5: Group scores and synthesis (mentioned page 11 of the guide)
Document 6: Presentation of the CRPD (mentioned page 8 of the guide)

Practical guide for planning and evaluating action to pomote the rights of people with disabilities

This guide has been developed as part of a research project, and finalised during workshops with Disabled People Organisations in Africa.

It aims to support inclusive local development actions, delineating the key steps to follow in planning and assessing initiatives for promoting the rights of PWD. This practical guide is designed to be easy to understand and to use. It supports the self-evaluation of advocacy actions and approached by stakeholders in inclusive local development processes in the territories, primarily Disabled People Organisations and territorial authorities. This self-evaluation is focused on quality if access and on optimizing the participation of people with disabilities in inclusive local development processes in accordance with art. 4.3, 19 and 29 of the UN Convention on rights of people with disabilities.
Access to the guide