• Supports DPOs to advocate for inclusive policies and programmes of disability issues with government, NGOs, CBOs and other development players.

• Supports NDPOs to organize and participate in national and international events like international disability days, women’s, youth’s and World AIDS days among others. This is aimed at bring disability from the periphery to the fore front.

•  NDPOs to participate and orgauonducting situational analyses jointly with the national DPOs for the district unions and uni-disability groups. The exercises are intended to support these groups identify their needs and concerns and to establish their level of organizational development so as to inform the partnership and set the precedent for the working relationship.

• Led to the establishment of the Department of Disability and Elderly in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, the department of Special Needs Education and Career Guidance that takes care of persons with disabilities in the Ministry of Education and Sports and all institutions of learning and the Disability Desk in the Ministry of Health.

 
ADD works to raise the profile of disability problem to such a level that it will be a priority area for government and civil society action, because the disability burden has been the lowest priority in resource allocation by both government authorities and non-government service providers right from national to the grass root level. ADD therefore, plans to support the disability movement to exert pressure on concerned agencies to translate these favorite pieces of legislation into actual programmes for disabled people Apart from the above loopholes,

ADD has managed to achieve a series of successes: Over 30% of disabled people in the country have been reached and their confidence built. Programmes aimed at including disabled people in the community have been established with the district unions ADD works with. District union have contact establishments in form of offices and workshops where they operate; like in Gulu, Soroti, Apac, Lira, Jinja, Iganga, Kabarole, and kabale. Development and use of Uganda sign language has increased the visibility of more deaf people in public life. Some disability friendly legislation is in place. A few NGOs and international organizations are including disability work in their plans. Disabled people’s organizations accessing funding locally for their work at the district and sub-county levels. The district unions ADD works with are gradually gaining strength to develop their own programmes and are also influencing local authorities, development agencies to support disabled people in their communities.

ADD your voice by supporting ADD’s work
‘When I went to the Parliament I felt challenged reaching out to the electorate.  We came up with proposals for workshops to consult disabled persons on what they expected from us.  A series of workshops were held in all the regions to collect disabled people’s views. This helped to bring the Parliamentarians closer to the leaders of disabled persons and to gauge their aspirations.  This helped us as members of Parliament to state their views.’ Former Member of Parliament representing Disabled Persons Hon Mwanda

We have a united force of disabled people’s organisations to fight against HIV & AIDS among disabled people. ADD and NUDIPU are playing a central role in facilitating this so we are learning from each other through the DSHAC committee and the product of this is the HIV/AIDS project that DSI is funding.’  UNAB

‘It has taken NUDIPU long to recognise the importance of representing groups that cannot represent themselves.  UPACLED is considered as an ‘organisation for not of disabled persons’’, yet the parents are organised in order that the children with intellectual disabilities are advocated for by the parents and their issues are addressed.’  Isidore Byamugisha

‘Whereas there is a belief in some quarters that ADD has been in Uganda long enough and that therefore they should either pull out or reduce their activities, on the contrary there is still a lot that requires ADD’s continued presence and increased contribution in the country.  The disability sector is very complicated, made up of people who have been marginalised from time immemorial.  When problems are solved new ones keep emerging.  A time of embarking on the implementation of the UN Convention needs an experienced organisation like ADD to support the DPOs.  It is good to concentrate effort and support a country like Uganda in a bid to have long impact.  ADD should desist from premature departure, which will only undermine all that ADD has done.’ A disability activist.