African Disability Policy Advocates

What African Disability Policy Advocates does

African Disability Policy Advocates (ADPA) is a Ghana-headquartered, Senegal-supported non-profit advocacy organization that advances the rights of persons with disabilities across Africa, with an explicit focus on women and girls with disabilities. The organization delivers its work through six core programmes: Inclusive Policy and Governance; Women and Girls with Disabilities Leadership and Empowerment; Disability-Inclusive Livelihoods, Food Security, and Climate Resilience; Youth with Disabilities Civic Engagement and Innovation; Disability Rights, Research, and Accountability; and Movement Building, Partnerships, and Regional Solidarity. ADPA's core activities include establishing Disability Desks within Ghanaian Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) via MoU partnerships, delivering leadership and vocational training for women and youth with disabilities, engaging African Union institutions and the Pan-African Parliament on continental legal frameworks, and convening regional forums for South–South collaboration.

The organization operates a non-commercial model funded entirely by donations and grants, with no products, services, or technology platform sold to customers. ADPA does not maintain a proprietary technology stack; its "products" are advocacy services, capacity-building programmes, technical assistance, and convening platforms. The organization relies on a small disclosed leadership team (Executive Director, Director of International Diplomacy, Head of Project Management and Strategic Planning, Head of Communication and Administration, and a Finance Officer) supported by a Board of Trustees that includes a sitting High Commissioner, former Members of Parliament, an international legal arbitrator, and a Senegalese professor of social development. Revenue is solicited via the organization's website ([email protected]), with no publicly disclosed financials, headcount, or donor composition.

Name

African Disability Policy Advocates

Legal name

African Disability Policy Advocates

Website

https://african-disability-policy-advocates.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ADPA is a Ghana-headquartered non-profit that advances disability rights across Africa through six core programmes covering policy reform, women and girls' empowerment, climate-resilient livelihoods, youth civic engagement, research, and regional solidarity, serving persons with disabilities and partnering with local governments and continental bodies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Rights Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights, Social Inclusion & Disability Inclusion (BPAGABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

Keywords

• Disability rights advocacy
• Inclusive policy governance
• Disability-inclusive livelihoods
• Gender equality advocacy
• Civic engagement programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Accra

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: ADPA operates as a non-profit organization that relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and institutional donors. The organization explicitly solicits donations to support its six core programmes including advocacy training, mentorship networks, disability-disaggregated data initiatives, and community rights empowerment.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

African Disability Policy Advocates (ADPA) is a non-profit advocacy organization that delivers six interconnected core programmes advancing disability rights across Africa: inclusive policy and governance, women and girls with disabilities leadership and empowerment, disability-inclusive livelihoods and climate resilience, youth civic engagement and innovation, disability rights research and accountability, and movement building and regional solidarity. The organization provides technical assistance, capacity building, training, and policy advocacy services rather than commercial products. It engages government assemblies, continental bodies, and grassroots disability organizations through MoU-based partnerships across Ghana, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and other African countries.

Product overview

African Disability Policy Advocates (ADPA) is a non-profit advocacy organization offering a portfolio of six interconnected core programmes focused on advancing disability rights and inclusive development across Africa. The programmes span inclusive policy governance, women's empowerment, livelihoods and climate resilience, youth civic engagement, research and accountability, and movement building. Rather than a technology product, ADPA delivers advocacy services, capacity building, policy reform support, and regional solidarity initiatives aimed at systemic change for persons with disabilities, especially women and girls.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inclusive Policy and Governance Programme Promotes inclusive policy-making and governance systems that uphold the rights of persons with disabilities through advocacy, inclusive budgeting, legal reform aligned with CRPD, and technical assistance to establish Disability Desks within local governments. Engages African Union institutions and human rights mechanisms to elevate disability rights on continental agendas.
• Women and Girls with Disabilities Leadership & Empowerment Programme Advances the rights, leadership, and economic empowerment of women and girls with disabilities through leadership training, mentorship, feminist movement-building, SRHR advocacy, GBV prevention, vocational training, access to finance, and microenterprise initiatives.
• Disability-Inclusive Livelihoods, Food Security, and Climate Resilience Programme Ensures persons with disabilities benefit from sustainable livelihoods and are included in climate and environmental governance through inclusive agriculture and livestock initiatives, advocacy for disability-responsive climate policies, engagement with extractive industries on CSR practices, and promotion of green jobs and adaptive skills development.
• Youth with Disabilities Civic Engagement and Innovation Programme Empowers youth with disabilities to engage in civic, digital, and political life through capacity building on civic participation, voting rights and advocacy leadership, support for digital literacy and tech innovation and entrepreneurship, intergenerational dialogue platforms, and digital advocacy campaigns.
• Disability Rights, Research, and Accountability Programme Generates evidence and strengthens accountability for disability rights implementation across Africa through participatory research and community-led case studies, support for disability data collection and analysis, production of shadow reports and engagement with UN and AU mechanisms, and development of practical toolkits, inclusive policy briefs, and planning guides.
• Movement Building, Partnerships, and Regional Solidarity Programme Strengthens networks, partnerships, and regional solidarity for transformative disability advocacy through convening national and regional forums to connect OPDs, advocates, and allies, strengthening coalitions and cross-sectoral alliances, providing technical support to grassroots OPDs and establishing regional advocacy hubs, and fostering South-South collaboration and peer learning across African countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Disability Desk established in Gomoa East Municipal Assembly
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gomoa East Municipal AssemblycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2025ADPA and Gomoa East Municipal Assembly signed a landmark MoU to advance disability inclusion, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. The partnership establishes a framework for the Inclusive Policy and Governance Programme and Disability-Inclusive Livelihoods, Food Security, and Climate Resilience Programme. Key initiatives include establishing a Disability Desk within the Assembly, inclusive budgeting, legal reforms aligned with CRPD, inclusive agriculture and livestock projects, and green jobs for youth and women with disabilities. The MoU is effective from October 2025 for three years.
• Nkwanta South Municipal AssemblycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2025ADPA partnered with Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly through an MoU to transform lives through inclusive governance and sustainable livelihoods. The partnership focuses on agriculture, climate resilience, and green jobs for persons with disabilities while strengthening their voice in local governance. ADPA provides technical expertise, training, and resource mobilisation while the Assembly integrates programmes into district development plans.
• Okere District AssemblycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2025ADPA and Okere District Assembly launched a livestock empowerment programme training 50 persons with disabilities. The MoU sets a framework for disability-inclusive governance and climate-resilient livelihoods. ADPA provides technical assistance, training, and resources while the Assembly integrates disability rights into district policies, budgets, and programmes. A Disability Desk is established within the Assembly.
• Pan-African Parliament (PAP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2025ADPA participated in the Continental Consultation on the Draft Model Law on Gender Equality and Equity hosted by the Pan-African Parliament in Accra. ADPA Board Member Hon. Sanja Nanja (MP) and Communications Director Mariam Nyarkoah Amponsah represented ADPA. The consultation aims to shape harmonized African legal frameworks promoting gender equality with disability perspectives integrated.
• Handicap FormEduc Association, National Federation of Associations of Persons with Disabilities of Senegal, and CAJUSTminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 July 2025ADPA Executive Director Aida Sarr participated in an interregional workshop in Thiès, Senegal focused on inclusion of persons with disabilities in natural resource governance and climate action. The workshop was organized by Handicap FormEduc Association, the National Federation of Associations of Persons with Disabilities of Senegal, and CAJUST. Participants explored extractive industry operations, climate change, and energy transition issues.
• Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2025ADPA and GFD jointly launched a pilot programme to establish disability desks across all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana. The first consultative meeting was held at Gomoa East Municipal Assembly. Both organizations provide technical support, training, and monitoring frameworks for sustainability. This partnership institutionalizes disability-focused services within local governance.
• Mouvement des Personnes Handicapées de Côte d'Ivoire (MPH-CI) and COPH-CIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 May 2025ADPA partnered with MPH-CI and COPH-CI in Côte d'Ivoire to celebrate women with disabilities and advocate for their rights. ADPA Executive Director Aida Sarr delivered a keynote address on the adoption of the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (CEVAWG). The partnership focuses on affirming rights, building self-esteem, and calling for integration of disability rights into national legislation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sightsavers: International disability NGO operating in Africa on inclusive eye health, education, and social inclusion with policy advocacy components. Comparable for its Africa-region advocacy, disability-inclusive governance programming, and engagement with government health/education systems.
• Humanity & Inclusion (formerly Handicap International): International disability and inclusion NGO working in fragile and low-income contexts including West Africa, with programs on inclusive governance, livelihoods, and rehabilitation. Comparable as a larger peer operating MoU-style partnerships with governments on inclusive local development.
• Light for the World: International disability and inclusion NGO with a strong Africa footprint, working on inclusive education, eye health, and economic empowerment. Comparable as a larger, better-resourced disability-focused advocacy and program delivery organization operating across multiple African countries.
• International Disability Alliance (IDA): Global umbrella of disability organizations that engages UN and AU mechanisms on disability rights and CRPD implementation. Comparable as a higher-tier advocacy counterpart with similar CRPD/UN reporting functions, though operating globally rather than Africa-only.
• CBM International (Christian Blind Mission): International disability-focused humanitarian and development organization with extensive Africa programming on inclusive health, education, and livelihoods. Comparable for continental reach, rights-based programming, and partnerships with OPDs across Africa.

Direct peers

• Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD): National umbrella of disability organizations in Ghana and ADPA's joint partner on the Disability Desk pilot across MMDAs. Comparable as a domestic Ghanaian disability advocacy peer and direct counterparty in shared programming.
• Africa Disability Alliance (ADA): Continental disability rights alliance headquartered in Africa that convenes OPDs and advocates for inclusive policy at AU level. Direct comparable given overlapping pan-African scope and ADPA's Executive Director Aïda Sarr previously served at ADA for 12+ years, indicating close programmatic DNA.
• Inclusion Africa: Pan-African disability rights advocacy network focused on CRPD implementation, inclusive policy, and movement building across Africa. Comparable given its continental scope, focus on women with disabilities, and engagement with AU human rights mechanisms.
• African Union of the Blind (AFUB): Continental OPD umbrella representing blind and partially sighted persons across Africa and engaging AU institutions on disability rights. Comparable for its pan-African OPD network, AU engagement model, and disability-led advocacy approach.

Others

• Disability Rights Fund: Grantmaking intermediary that funds disability rights organizations globally, with active Africa portfolio. Comparable as a funder peer for ADPA's potential donor base and as an organization supporting OPD advocacy capacity building—the same function ADPA delivers to its grassroots partners.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about African Disability Policy Advocates