What We Do
TDOU works across four interconnected areas to advance the rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities in Tigray. Each area is grounded in the UNCRPD and implemented through strategic partnerships with local and international organizations.
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Human Rights & Transitional Justice
AdvocacyThe Tigray conflict has resulted in widespread human rights violations against persons with disabilities. TDOU works to ensure these violations are formally documented, that affected individuals have access to justice mechanisms, and that disability perspectives are embedded in Tigray’s transitional justice process.
As the Regional Co-Chair of the National CSO–Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Coordination Platform, TDOU plays a direct governance role in shaping how human rights are monitored and reported at the regional level.
Key Activities
- Training grassroots disability advocates on Transitional Justice processes
- Documenting conflict-related violations against persons with disabilities
- Representing OPDs at national EHRC coordination meetings
- Engaging government and civil society on disability-inclusive justice
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IDP Protection
HumanitarianInternally displaced persons (IDPs) with disabilities face compounded vulnerabilities — they are often excluded from IDP centers, relief distributions, and rehabilitation services. TDOU’s IDP protection program directly addresses this gap by identifying, registering, and advocating for displaced persons with disabilities across Tigray.
This flagship project is funded by the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) and has demonstrated strong results — earning TDOU a nomination as a Partner Candidate for the NORAD Global Fund, a significant recognition of organizational credibility and impact.
Key Activities
- Identifying and registering displaced persons with disabilities
- Advocating for inclusion in IDP center services and distributions
- Coordinating with humanitarian actors on disability-inclusive response
- Reporting to the Disability Rights Fund on project outcomes
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Inclusive Education
EducationChildren with disabilities in Tigray face significant barriers to education, worsened by the conflict’s disruption of schools and support systems. TDOU partners with SEN Ethiopia to ensure children with special educational needs are not left out of post-conflict school recovery and that teachers and schools are equipped to support them.
Key Activities
- Supporting enrollment of children with disabilities in mainstream schools
- Advocating for accessible school infrastructure
- Training teachers on inclusive education practices
- Coordinating with SEN Ethiopia on special needs programming
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Economic Inclusion
LivelihoodsPersons with disabilities in Tigray face significant barriers to economic participation — from physical inaccessibility of workplaces to exclusion from microfinance and vocational training programs. TDOU partners with the Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) to address these barriers through targeted livelihoods and economic inclusion programming.
Key Activities
- Vocational skills training for persons with disabilities
- Facilitating access to microfinance and savings groups
- Advocating for disability-inclusive workplace policies
- Coordinating with ECDD on livelihoods programming
Support Our Work
Partner with TDOU to advance disability rights, inclusion, and justice in Tigray. We welcome donors, implementing partners, and civil society organizations.
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