Reflection on Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Workshop

20th to 23rd of August 2018 was an exciting week, I participated in a workshop for indigenous persons with disabilities in Bomet Kenya as a co facilitator. The workshop was organized by the Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Global Network (IPWDN), the Narok South Disability Network and International Disability Alliance (IDA).

The aim of the workshop was to impact knowledge on Indigenous leaders with disabilities in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous people (UNDRIP) and Agenda 2030.

My Reflection:

Indigenous persons with disabilities being at the grass root level of the community face multidimensional barriers and sharp effects are on children and women with disabilities from these communities. Some of the barriers include:

1. Stigma and discrimination
2. Negative cultural practices like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
3. Access to education
4. Access to health
5. Not being counted during census due to nomadic life
6. Women with disabilities in the communities being compared to women without disabilities
7. Lack of national registration: like national identity card

Constitution of Kenya, Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Declaration on the Rights of persons with disabilities offer a clear legal framework that can support indigenous persons with disabilities in enjoying their rights on equal basis with others. Moreover, people from this communities need more developmental support from the government and civil society organizations without destroying or diluting their cultural identity.

Cheers!

Claiming Your Right as a Woman with Disability

Women with disabilities tend to get double discrimination; by the fact that they have  disabilities and secondly as women.This therefore makes them to be more vulnerable and marginalized in their communities.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) provides legal measures that can protect, promote and fulfill rights of women with disabilities .

On 8th of March 2018 we commemorate international women day and  knowing certain factors can enable you to claim your right as a woman with disability:

• Having a disability does not eliminate the fact that you are a woman;
• Get registered as a person with disability by national disabled persons organizations;
• Knowing legal framework that protect you locally, nationally and internationally;
• Join women rights movements both for persons with disabilities and mainstream movements (unity is strength);
• Grab opportunities that lie ahead of you;
• Request reasonable  accommodation at work, learning institution, hospital and community;
• Learn self defence tactics
• Know where to seek help or to report when your rights have been violated;
• And for the women with disabilities who have made it in life let's reach out by mentoring other women with disabilities.

Have a great women's day!

ps:photo of Carol Wanjira a young woman with spina bifida

DEMYSTIFYING CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is the most comprehensive law that focusses directly on the rights of person with disabilities. However, it can be quite complex for a lay person to understand its content due to many articles and legal jargons that it contains.

Article three of the convention provides general principles, in my opinion this is the 'heart' of the convention and it  helps us to demystify it. All the 49 articles are linked to this article. Knowing it can help persons with disabilities and different stakeholders in the society to claim rights and to work towards a barrier free society for people with disabilities.

What is the content of article three of UNCRPD?

1. Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one's own choices, and independence of person,
2. Non-discrimination,
3. Full and effective participation and inclusion in society.
4.  Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity,
5.  Equality of opportunity,
6. Accessibility,
7. Equality between men and women,
8. Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities.  

Have a great day as you continue working towards a better society!

WHAT IS REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION?

Accessing services, work,  buildings and other social amenities are among huge challenges that affect  people with disabilities and prevent them from being productive in their communities. This can be solved by reasonable accommodation:

What is reasonable accommodation? 

• Reasonable accommodation is necessary adjustment and or modifications to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy and exercise their rights on equal basis with others. 

• Reasonable accommodation can be achieved through request.

Most countries have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) that makes it legal for service providers and communities to provide reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities.
There is a misconception that reasonable accommodation has to do with accessing work place. it however goes beyond working environment. It should be holistic.

Example of reasonable accommodation includes:

1. Provision of extra time and and extra learning materials to people with intellectual disabilities.
2. Building of temporary and or permanent ramps in buildings to allow people with physical disabilities to access buildings.
3. Provision Brailled documents and or voting cards to people with visual disabilities during electrol process.
4. Communities and service providers availing sign language interpreters for people with hearing disabilities.
5. Communities and service providers can also provide tactile interpreters to people who are deafblind.

To all people with disabilities remember to ask.

Cheers!

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!

Solidarity for People with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

This month has marked two important days: International Day for Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December and International Human Rights Day on 10th December. This year's theme of IDPD was "Transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all"  These two days have been a good platform to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Sustainable Development Goals.

Most human rights advocates dwell on social barriers that prevent inclusion of persons with disabilities forgetting medical barriers. As much as such efforts are good, they have worked towards depriving some basic rights to people who have disabilities. In order to achieve all rights that affect people with spina bifida, hydrocephalus and other disabilities, there is a need for an integrated developmental approach that blends both social and medical model towards addressing disability matters. This will ensure that no one is left behind.

It's time for human rights advocates to be in solidarity with people who have spina bifida, hydrocephalus and other disabilities that need medical attention.

cheers! 

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.