KAS Kenya celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities

To mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Kenya Country Office dedicated a public discussion forum to the topic of inclusion and democratic participation. In addition to the technical discussion, the aim was to raise public awareness of the issue and contribute to consciousness-raising. To this end, a demonstration march through downtown Nairobi was held under the auspices of the Kenyan government spokesperson. The capital's press was then invited to a briefing. 

The challenges in the area of inclusion and the rights of people with disabilities remain considerable in Kenya. In addition to the lack of barrier-free infrastructure, these include aspects such as access to information and services and, last but not least, deep-seated prejudices and stigmatisation.

Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura, a former KAS scholarship holder who himself has albinism, has been campaigning for inclusion for many years and is one of the most prominent voices on the issue. In cooperation with the Office of the Government Spokesman, the KAS is implementing various measures on the topic of inclusive communication as a basis for effective political participation. 

For KAS in Kenya, the event also marked the end of a year in which the topic of inclusion was a particular focus. This is reflected not only in the explicit project measures on the topic, but also in aspects such as accessibility at events, the use of sign language interpretation, the targeted consideration of people with disabilities in scholarship and young talent development programmes, and, last but not least, ensuring the accessibility of the foundation's new office building, which was realised with the advice and support of Barbara Bergmann, representative for people with disabilities and consultant on inclusion issues.

The topic of inclusion will continue to play an important role in the work of the Kenya Country Office beyond 2025.