A survey capturing the perspectives and priorities of children with disabilities in the face of a rapidly changing climate.
Building on the Able Child Africa Network’s 2024 study Amplifying the Voices of Children with Disabilities, this new research takes a deeper look into one of the areas children themselves identified as a growing concern: climate resilience and adaptability. With climate‑related shocks increasing across East and Southern Africa, children with disabilities are disproportionately affected, yet their experiences remain largely overlooked in policy and programme design.
In 2025, the Network conducted a survey with 1,112 children with disabilities across seven countries in the region. The study explores how extreme weather, access to early warning systems, community preparedness, and individual coping strategies intersect with disability to influence children’s safety, inclusion, and wellbeing.
The results reveal significant gaps in awareness and access to information. While climate change poses heightened risks for children with disabilities, half of respondents reported that they had never heard of climate change, and only 40% had learned about it in school. Many children described how extreme weather disrupts their daily lives, including schooling and access to healthcare, with 62% noting that bad weather makes it harder to reach school and medical appointments.
The preparation of this publication and data analysis was led by Maya Sethi, with support from Nancy Nteere. The children and young people with disabilities who came forward to share their human rights experiences and priorities made this research possible.
We are enormously grateful to these contributors for their generosity of time and their willingness to speak openly about their experiences. We are also indebted to the following Able Child Africa Network members in Africa: Action Network for the Disabled (ANDY), The Action Foundation (TAF), Parents of Disabled Children Association of Malawi (PODCAM), Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA), Uwezo Youth Empowerment (UWEZO), Child Support Tanzania (CST), Uganda Society for Disabled Children (USDC), Zambia Association of Parents for Children with Disabilities (ZAPCD), and Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA). Staff from each of the Network members made this possible by assessing and mobilising the respondents, supporting them to make decisions about participating and facilitating their involvement. Finally, a big thank you goes to the parents and teachers who welcomed the data collectors into their homes and schools to conduct the survey.
This survey, and report, was funded through the partnership with Able Child.
Published by
© Able Child Africa Network, November 2025
Permission is required to reproduce any part of this publication. Permission will be freely granted to educational or non-profit organisations.
To request permission or for any other information on this publication, please contact: info@ablechildnetwork.org
Suggested citation
Able Child Africa Network, Amplifying the voices of children with disabilities on climate resilience and adaptability (2025)
Included: Using data to understand and amplify the experiences and priorities of children with disabilities in relation to climate change, Able Child Africa Network, 2025
Design credits
Michèle Renée Creative
