How to be a Self Advocate

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your voice is not heard, wings have been stepped on or your rights violated? That's what it takes to be a self advocate?

Such situations happen to everyone, whether you have a disability or not. however, people with disabilities tend to experience this on a regular basis.


There are important steps that will assist you in being who you are supposed to be or achieving what you want:

• Believing in your self; this includes knowing your worth and acknowledging that your disability is part of worlds diversity.
• Knowing your rights, benefits and responsibilities; knowing local, national and international laws that protect, promote and fulfill your rights like the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
• Discussing your questions and concerns
• Put your concerns in writing
• Get information and decision in writing
• If that doesn't work use chain of command
• Follow up

PS: The above picture was taken during a self advocates workshop for youth with spina bifida and hydrocephalus in Kijabe Kenya.

Happy new year to you all!

Some People Are Born Free and Equal

All people in the world are born free and equal. however circumstances and barriers in life can determine how free and equal you can be. People with Spina bifida and Hydrocephalus face social, medical, economic and political barriers that prevent them from being included in their communities.

Earlier this month International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus organized an African workshop that convened professionals, parents and young people with spina bifida and hydrocephalus in Mombasa, Kenya. The main goal of the conference was UNCRPD and Health. I was privileged to offer a training on CRPD and SDG own how the two International treaties can work towards equality and non discrimination of people with spina bifida and hydrocephalus.

PS: The above picture was during an activity 'Game of life': demonstrating how barriers and opportunities in life can affect how equal and free someone can be.

Disability Rights are Human Rights

People with disabilities have rights on equal basis with other people who do not have disabilities, however, most local and national law have failed to be specific and inclusive hence not protecting interest of people with disabilities.

United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities (UNCRPD) is specific on how rights of people with disabilities can be achieved while the Sustainable Development Goals has objectives and plans of leaving no one behind.

This is the reason why I received the fellowship International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF) and International Disability Alliance (IDA), based on the two treaties with the aim of bridging the gap in disability rights.



The knowledge that I have gained so far has enabled me to train grass root Disabled People Organization on UNCRPD and SDG with the aim of achieving inclusion for people with disabilities in Kenya and Tanzania.


      

PS: The first picture was during a workshop training on UNCRPD in Kenya, Second picture was when I attended Committee on the rights on the rights of Persons with Disabilities in Geneva Switzerland while the third picture was during a workshop in Kilimanjaro region Tanzania.

Fellowship from International Disability Alliance

This year I am so delighted to receive a disability rights fellowship, based on the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons  with Disabilities (UNCRPD) from the International Disability Alliance (IDA). This was as a result of being nominated by International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF). Throughout the year I will receive mentoring and logistic support from My Right Tanzania.

The main objective of this fellowship will be to support national and local Disabled People Organizations like: Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus of Tanzania (ASBHT) and Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Kenya (SHAK) in awareness raising on the provisions and implementation of the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. My Focus will mainly be towards People with Disabilities and their families, healthcare providers, teachers, legal professional and community leaders with the aim of enabling then to use UNCRPD for inclusion of people with disabilities. 

I am hopeful that this will yield fruits for people living with disabilities in Kenya and Tanzania!