By Charles Mkoka
A new study on disability in Tanzania has called for sweeping policy reforms to formally recognise disability care services and strengthen support systems for millions of people living with disabilities and their caregivers.
Researchers, government officials and development partners said the findings reveal growing awareness of disability issues in Tanzania, but warned that major gaps remain in access to healthcare, education, transport, social services and financial support.
Speaking during the presentation of the study findings, Ramadhani Hangwa of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said disability prevalence in Tanzania has steadily increased in official statistics over the years, largely due to improved awareness and identification systems.
According to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, around 11 percent of Tanzanians live with at least one form of disability, compared with about 9 percent in the 2012 census and roughly 2 percent in earlier data.
“In every 100 Tanzanians, at least 11 have one or more forms of disability,” Hangwa said, adding that the figures reflect greater public understanding and willingness to identify disability rather than a sudden surge in cases.
He noted that regions such as Kilimanjaro reported disability rates as high as 15 percent because communities there are more open about identifying persons with disabilities instead of hiding them due to stigma.
The study examined how services are delivered to persons with disabilities and focused heavily on the role of caregivers, particularly women, who researchers said shoulder most of the burden of unpaid care work.
Hangwa said disability care in Tanzania is still widely viewed as charity or a private family responsibility rather than essential work deserving formal recognition and policy protection.
“There is a need for a new policy perspective so that caregiving services are recognised just like other social services,” he said.
Researchers said many caregivers, especially mothers and female relatives, operate in informal and unsupported conditions despite carrying out demanding daily responsibilities including feeding, bathing and transporting people with severe disabilities.
The study found that caregivers are often excluded from financial empowerment schemes because existing systems fail to recognise them formally.
Under Tanzania’s local government loan scheme, 10 percent of council revenues are allocated to special groups, including 4 percent for women, 4 percent for youth and 2 percent for persons with disabilities.
However, researchers said the structure does not adequately consider situations where caregivers apply on behalf of persons with disabilities who are unable to independently access the system.
The report also highlighted persistent infrastructure barriers, especially in public transport and urban mobility, saying many buses, roads and public facilities remain inaccessible for people with physical or sensory disabilities.
In response, authorities and development agencies said efforts are underway to improve disability inclusion through better data systems and service coordination.
The National Bureau of Statistics, working with UNFPA, has developed a disability monograph to strengthen national data collection, while a Personal Disability Management Information System (PDMIS) has been introduced to help identify children with disabilities from early childhood through secondary education.
UNFPA has also worked with Tanzania’s Ministry of Health and development partners to create guidelines aimed at improving access to reproductive health and other healthcare services for persons with disabilities.
Despite those improvements, experts warned that social stigma, weak policy implementation and inadequate funding continue to undermine inclusion efforts.
The study recommends formal recognition of caregiving as work, stronger legal frameworks, expanded social protection systems and improved public awareness campaigns to reduce discrimination.
Researchers said the findings are intended to help shape future national policies that place disability rights and inclusive service delivery at the centre of Tanzania’s development agenda.
