Health & Science

By Chebet Birir | 16 hours ago

As the world marks the 16 days against gender-based violence, many people living with disabilities continue to face Gender-based violence (GBV). These cases of violence often go unreported.

 GBV entails any physical, sexual, and psychological harm and remains a major public health problem despite numerous written political commitments, policies, and programs. Social discriminations, such as those based on gender and disability, increase the vulnerability to GBV for both men and women with disabilities.

 According to Dr Narmeen Hamid, the Board Chair of AmplifyChange, Local community support is essential for initiatives like Dance Into Space (DIS), a performing arts group in Siaya, Kenya, where Artistic Director Onyango Ondiege uses “artivism” to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for people with disabilities.

 “DIS’s “Breaking Barriers” initiative equips individuals with contemporary dance skills to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with disabilities while encouraging understanding and empathy to drive social change,” says Pamela Jura, a single mother of three who advocates for women with disabilities through dance, tackling stigma and human rights violations.

 Even though both men and women with disabilities experience GBV, women and girls with disabilities are at an increased risk. The social model defines disability as a social construct that arises as society disables people with impairments by denying them full participation. According to experts, there is scanty research on the prevalence and risk factors of GBV among people with disabilities (PWDs).

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 Evaluating services and interventions that address GBV among PWDs is almost inexistent. This eminent lack of data concerning PWDs obscures the state of GBV in Kenya, deterring political commitment and comprehensive public health engagement. 

 As the National Council for People With Disabilities (NCPWD) marked its 20th anniversary on the 22^nd of November, research shows that People With Disabilities (PWDs) continue to be increasingly excluded from employment opportunities, skills development and training, education, and healthcare services, among other key areas of socio-economic development. 

In most cases, employers remain hesitant to employ PLWDs because such arrangements may require the adaption of their workspaces to accommodate PLWDs. Employers may have to overhaul and undergo costly renovations to enable disability-friendly workplaces.

 “Challenges still abound that hold back full realization of disability inclusion. 20 years on, we lack a national disability policy to enjoin both public and private sectors into promoting disability inclusion. Similarly, the 2003 Act is not only not in conformity to the Constitution, but also did not envision the coming of devolution and the role of county governments in promoting disability inclusion in their devolved units,” says Harun Hassan, the Chief Executive Officer, NCPWD.

A report by NCWPD reveals that less than 50 per cent of institutions have made information available in accessible formats, including audio, large print, and braille. this demonstrates a significant gap in meeting the informational needs of persons with disabilities and complying with constitutional requirements for accessibility. Disability inclusion in public institutions is not only a constitutional requirement but a fundamental and critical component of a just and equitable society. Inclusion means persons with disabilities can participate in decision-making and have equal access to employment opportunities and services provided by the government. 

 Kenya has adopted inclusive policies and laws to address the historical exclusion and marginalization of persons with disabilities from society including the public sector. There is evidence that inclusive policies and laws enhance overall productivity, efficiency, and innovativeness in institutions. Furthermore, inclusivity promotes creativity, resilience, and adaptable workplace. 

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The Persons with Disabilities Act 2003 came with a set of services for persons with disabilities such as the provision of assistive devices, education assistance for learners with disabilities, income tax exemption, registration, and disability mainstreaming among others. It also established NCPWD, the sole state agency mandated to champion and protect the rights of persons with disabilities in Kenya. 

“The administration of the fourth President Uhuru Kenyatta also introduced the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO), setting aside 30 per cent of government procurement opportunities for youth, women, and persons with disabilities,” said Harun.

Despite these successes, there is still more to be done to balance the inequalities in the quality of life of Africans living with disabilities. research shows that People With Disabilities (PWDs) continue to be increasingly excluded from employment opportunities, skills development and training, education, and healthcare services, among other key areas of socio-economic development. 

 “Accessibility in built environments and public transport for persons with disabilities remains a teething issue, exacerbated by the inability to enforce adjustment orders. Similarly, funding is not commensurate with a growing demand, aggravated by donor and partner exhaustion,’ adds Harun.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics places the number of persons with disabilities in Kenya at about a million – a figure highly contested by persons with disabilities and their organizations. The World Health Organization (WHO) sets the occurrence of disability in a population at about 16 per cent – which would place the number of persons with disabilities at about eight million countrywide. Disability is also on the rise. Advancements in health have shifted the causes of disability from diseases such as polio, and measles, to a new set of factors such as road accidents, lifestyle diseases, and an increasing life expectancy. 

According to Harun, “the ever-ballooning demand for disability services calls for joint efforts across all players to actualize the unmet needs.” He emphasizes that “a chance to celebrate the successes in the last two decades accords the country a rare opportunity to engage in a discourse on what state and non-state actors can do to achieve more.”