Strengthening disability inclusion with CAFOD

News-iag | April 15, 2026

Reflections and learning from the partnership

Over the last two years, we have partnered with CAFOD to strengthen disability inclusion across its Nigeria programme and wider global work. Along the way, the work has been as much about learning as it has been about delivery: testing what helps teams move from commitment to everyday practice and capturing the changes that happen when inclusion is treated as everyone’s role.

This work was delivered by a blended IAG team from CBM Global’s UK and Nigeria teams, alongside our OPD partner, the Nigeria Joint National Association of People with Disabilities (JONAPWD). Together, we supported CAFOD to translate its commitment to inclusion into day-to-day practice, so that people with disabilities can participate and lead in programmes that affect their lives. Claire Grant, Gender and Inclusion Advisor (CAFOD headquarters), reflected on this partnership:

“Disability inclusion is about a shift in attitudes as well as behaviours and getting buy in across a whole organisation. Winning over hearts and minds and addressing fears and misconceptions is no small feat. Working with CBM has really helped catalyse this process for us at CAFOD – it’s given us the impetus, technical confidence and momentum to take the next steps required.”

Starting point: what CAFOD asked for

In 2023, CAFOD named disability inclusion as an area where staff wanted more practical tools, skills, and support. A strong internal champion at CAFOD headquarters helped shape the partnership, secure leadership buy-in, and keep inclusion on the agenda during a period of organisational transition.

The work formally began in January 2024 with a disability inclusion review of CAFOD Nigeria’s programmes. That baseline gave everyone a shared picture of what was already working, where barriers were showing up, and what “good” could look like in practice. It then informed a three-day Learning workshop for CAFOD staff and partners, followed by regular mentoring from CBM Global Nigeria. Together, the team co-created a small pilot advocacy project with CAFOD’s partner Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI), focused on addressing violence against women and girls with disabilities.

At a global level, we facilitated training and learning exchange sessions for CAFOD’s community of practice—covering foundations of disability inclusion, disability data, intersectionality with gender, and inclusive monitoring and evaluation. We also provided remote advisory support to CAFOD offices in several countries through a mini-helpdesk: responding to context-specific programmatic questions, reviewing documents, and making connections with the local disability movement. This widened the reach of the learning generated in Nigeria and helped country teams apply it in their own contexts.

What changed—and what we learned

From awareness to practice: shifts in knowledge, attitudes, and skills

Staff from CAFOD Nigeria and CWSI now demonstrate a stronger understanding of disability inclusion, greater confidence in engaging OPDs, and more consistent use of inclusive terminology. One of the most important lessons was recognising—and then challenging—assumptions: moving from a welfare lens towards a rights-based understanding of autonomy and practical barrier removal. Abdulmumuni Sulayman, Disability Inclusion Advisor (CBM Global Nigeria), saw this change happening in real time:

“What made the biggest difference was the commitment of CAFOD and CWSI staff to learn, unlearn, and relearn. Week by week we saw confidence grow, and that is what makes change sustainable.”

Making inclusion doable: changes embedded in programmes

CAFOD and CWSI have started to integrate disability inclusion into new and ongoing projects through practical steps—such as accessible communications, budgeting for reasonable accommodation, and adapting targeting approaches so that people with disabilities are included from the start. For Chukwuedozie Abazie, Programme Manager (CAFOD Nigeria), the learning was clear:

“This project has given me a deeper appreciation of how inclusion can be practically and meaningfully mainstreamed into project design, implementation, and overall programme management. I have learned that inclusion cannot thrive without a commitment to account for the costs of reasonable accommodation and accessibility in project budgets.”

CWSI has already applied these lessons beyond the pilot project—embedding disability inclusion in a groundnut farming livelihood initiative and reaching out to OPDs independently for advice and mobilisation.

Working with OPDs: participation that shaped decisions

JONAPWD and local OPDs played a growing role throughout the work—from co-facilitating training to advising on community engagement and helping identify accessible venues. This strengthened relationships between CAFOD, partners, and the disability movement, and it made programmes more relevant and more likely to last beyond the project timeline. Uche Andrew, Disability Inclusion Advisor (JONAPWD), described the value of this partnership approach:

“As the focal point for the OPD partnership throughout the project, I had the opportunity to engage and promote awareness of disability issues with diverse stakeholders and the community of persons with disabilities. This effort ensured that every voice was not only acknowledged but truly valued.”

Strengthening the advisory model

The project also strengthened our approach to technical advisory. Working simultaneously with CAFOD headquarters, the country office, and a local partner helped us test what “multi-level support” looks like in reality—combining training, mentoring, practical demonstration, and internal capacity building, while staying responsive to what teams were navigating week to week. Kirsty Smith, CEO (CBM UK), noted how this showed up at the end of the process:

 “The final learning event showed just how deeply this work has influenced attitudes and approaches within CAFOD and CWSI. The changes were specific and meaningful, and that’s what good advisory support aims for.”

Capturing and sharing learning

To make the learning usable beyond the life of the pilot, the team documented experience from Nigeria through four case studies on inclusive budgeting, enabling environments, facilitation practices, and OPD engagement. The helpdesk also generated tailored advice products for CAFOD country offices in Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Liberia—value that led CAFOD to extend the helpdesk budget for a further six months so additional country teams can benefit. For Grace Eseohe Okosun, Communications Officer (CWSI), documenting the case studies was itself part of the learning:

 “Documenting the case studies for this project allowed me to witness the meaningful changes for women and girls with disabilities in terms of self-resilience, awareness, confidence, and community support. These experiences continually remind me that truly inclusive approaches lead to more sustainable and lasting outcomes.”

CAFOD also shared Nigeria’s experience at internal learning events, helping to spark interest and build momentum for scaling disability inclusion across more programmes.

What worked (and why)

Rather than relying on one-off training, the partnership combined several elements into a single model of support that reinforced learning through application:

• An inclusion review to identify strengths and gaps
• An interactive Learning Week for CAFOD staff, partners, and OPDs in the Nigeria programme
• Regular mentoring from the CBM Global Nigeria team
• A co-created pilot project with CWSI to demonstrate inclusion in practice
• Case studies to capture and share learning
• A helpdesk offering tailored advisory support to other CAFOD country teams
• Training and learning sessions with CAFOD’s global community of practice and wider staff

This blend of organisational learning, mentoring, and hands-on implementation proved particularly powerful—not only for shifting understanding, but for embedding new habits and systems that teams can carry forward.

Looking ahead: sustaining momentum

CAFOD staff and partners have expressed strong motivation to continue strengthening disability inclusion. Several internal champions are emerging within the Nigeria team, and both CAFOD and CWSI are taking forward accessibility assessments, inclusive recruitment, and engagement with OPDs. CAFOD also identified additional funds for teams receiving helpdesk support to act on recommendations, alongside a follow-up disability inclusion grant for CWSI.

For IAG, this partnership reinforced a replicable way of supporting INGOs to embed disability inclusion in practical, sustainable ways: connect learning to real programmes, invest in mentoring over time, and centre OPD participation so solutions are shaped by lived experience. The materials developed—case studies and helpdesk products—will continue to support future advisory work and cross-country learning.

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