A new study backed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has raised fresh concerns over the daily challenges facing people with disabilities in Tanzania, warning that weak support systems and limited policy recognition continue to leave many families vulnerable.
The findings, presented during a stakeholder discussion led by project coordinator Ghati Horombe, point to persistent barriers in transport, healthcare access, economic participation and social protection, particularly for people with physical and sensory disabilities.
The research also sheds light on the often-overlooked role of unpaid caregivers, most of them women, who shoulder the responsibility of supporting relatives with disabilities with little formal recognition or institutional support.
Speaking during the presentation, Horombe said the study found that many public transport systems remain inaccessible due to poor infrastructure, including roads, bus boarding areas and mobility facilities that are not designed for people with disabilities.
“Mobility remains one of the biggest challenges. Many people with disabilities struggle to access healthcare, education and economic opportunities because the transport systems and infrastructure are still not inclusive,” she said.
The study further identified shortages of assistive devices, including wheelchairs and mobility equipment, as another major obstacle limiting independence and participation in daily life.
In many cases, families are forced to fill the gap themselves.
Researchers found that when adequate support systems are absent, caregivers spend significant amounts of time assisting relatives with basic activities such as bathing, feeding and movement from one place to another.
The burden, the report notes, falls disproportionately on women, whose caregiving responsibilities are rarely recognised as formal work despite their economic and social importance.
“In many communities, caregiving is still viewed as a natural family obligation rather than labour that deserves policy recognition and support,” Horombe said.
The study also highlights how economic exclusion compounds the difficulties faced by both people with disabilities and their caregivers.
Although Tanzania’s local government financing framework allocates 10 percent of council revenues to special groups including women, youth and people with disabilities the findings say the system still excludes many caregivers acting on behalf of persons with severe disabilities.
Under the current structure, four percent of the loans are allocated to women, four percent to youth and two percent to people with disabilities.
The report found that caregivers who do not themselves have disabilities are often unable to qualify for financial support, even when they are responsible for managing the welfare of a disabled family member.
For example, a mother caring for a child with severe disabilities may be required to handle loan applications and related procedures, yet existing systems fail to formally recognise her caregiving role.
“This creates a major gap in the system. The caregiver carries the responsibility, but the system does not adequately recognise or support that role,” Horombe said.
As a result, the study recommends broader reforms aimed at strengthening disability-inclusive budgeting, improving infrastructure accessibility and formally recognising caregiving within national policy frameworks.
Researchers are also calling for improved data collection and stronger institutional coordination to ensure disability issues are integrated into mainstream development planning.
Horombe said the findings will contribute to the development of recommendations aimed at improving inclusion outcomes and addressing long-standing inequalities affecting people with disabilities and their caregivers.
“We want systems that recognise both the person with disabilities and the caregiver supporting them, so that inclusion is not only discussed in policy but reflected in real life,” she said.
