Katiya Sakala

Katiya Sakala is the Regional Head of Programs in Africa for the Disability Rights Fund and the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund. She works closely with the Program Director and oversees our grantmaking in Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda.

Previously, Katiya was responsible for the management of grants to organizations of persons with disabilities under the “Commonwealth Leaves No One Behind” project. Katiya has ten years experience in the area of disability rights. She has built her expertise in the disability movement by working with grassroots and national organizations for persons with disabilities in Zambia. Katiya headed the first ever Independent Monitoring Unit under the Zambia Federation of Disability Organisations (ZAFOD) on the implementation of disability rights and contributed to the publication of a report to the government with recommendations for law reform. She also worked as National Project Officer for the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on a project that promoted employment access for persons with disabilities through vocational skills training and technical support towards law reform before moving on to the Norwegian Association of Disabled (NAD) where she worked as National Project Coordinator responsible for managing grants and providing technical support to DPOs to advance their advocacy initiatives.

Katiya holds a Master of Laws Degree in International and Comparative Disability Law and Policy from the National University of Ireland, Galway, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Development Studies, and a Diploma in Social Work.