On International Day of Persons with Disabilities (PWD), she proposes a Charter of 5 demands to #DISABLETHESTIGMA for persons with disabilities
In November, a 2023-24 report by the National Council of Administration of Justice was mentioned in media reports to hail Kenya’s progress in supporting persons with disabilities (PWDs), improving their access to justice and reducing their marginalisation in society.
The report also sheds light on the work done by the criminal justice system, government agencies, and advocacy groups to minimise societal stigma suffered by PWDs. As the founder and CEO of AbleRise Africa Society, Josephine Mwende, a Nguvu Change Leader born with Cerebral Palsy and mother of a 7-year-old has consistently advocated for inclusivity and equality for PWDs.
On December 3, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), she wants to once again remind Kenyan lawmakers that a lot more work needs to be done before all citizens can access their fundamental rights with equal ease.
She says, “The problem is that on this day we tend to amplify disability matters and then, everything goes back to normal. We still have counties without disability representation and persons with disability still struggle to access education, health and employment.”
Josephine Mwende, a Nguvu Change Leader born with Cerebral Palsy. /HANDOUT
Elaborating on this year’s IDPD theme, “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future,” she has put forth a charter of five key demands which include:
- Systemic sustainable inclusion of PWDs that becomes an integral part of policies, programs, and societal norms.
- Immediate implementation of updated disability laws, such as the Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, 2023, to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities are protected effectively and consistently.
- Comprehensive representation of PWDs in governance, particularly at the county level, to ensure their voices are part of decision-making processes.
- Awareness campaigns to break attitudinal barriers and address societal stigmas and stereotypes, promoting the view of persons with disabilities as capable, equal contributors to society.
- Equitable access to employment opportunities and inclusive workplaces, to ensure economic independence and empowerment for PWDs.
As she says, “Sustainable inclusion entails long-term, systemic, and holistic change to ensure that PWDs are included in all aspects of life. Inclusion should be embedded into the design of all programs to ensure their longevity and self-sufficiency.”
Josephine has rooted her activism in her lived experience as an expectant mother who was turned away from one hospital after another during the time of delivery just because she had cerebral palsy.
“This experience made me realise the trauma women with disabilities, particularly cerebral palsy go through. This is largely due to misconceptions that such women cannot or should not bear children due to the perceived risks,” she recalls.
To protect other women from the humiliation and pain that she went through, she also initiated a petition to call on the Ministry of Health, the Office of The Ombudsman and the Office of The Governor of Nairobi County to direct the public hospitals in Nairobi County to operationalise a toll-free hotline where people can report discrimination. The petition also sought special consultation rooms for women with disabilities, including cerebral palsy and awareness programs to sensitise cadres of staff to the needs of cerebral palsy patients.
Josephine is also a staunch critic of dehumanising, deficit-based language which is widely used to describe PWDs and says, “Focus should be on empowering individuals and shift the narrative from pity or charity to rights, agency, and equality. Stop looking at us as if we are beggars. Accessibility, equity, and respect for diversity must be woven into the fabric of all policies, programs, and practices in Kenya.”
Discussing Kenya’s Vision 2030 on Disability Awareness Creation, she adds, “The vision is very futuristic but the reality is different especially in terms of funding gaps when it comes to disability inclusion implementation. We have had a new disability act on the shelf for years which is yet to be fully implemented.”
Renewing her call to #DISABLETHESTIGMA, she concludes, “I hope to be the first woman with cerebral palsy to represent PWDs in the Government and do everything in my capacity to ensure that their voices are heard and the dignity and respect they deserve are accorded to them unstintingly.”.
