Civic Education

Kenya has a population of over 3.6 million persons with intellectual disabilities (PWIDs). Following successful eradication of blindness, polio and ENT ailments; the populations of people with visual, physical, and hearing disabilities has significantly reduced. However, the population of people with intellectual disabilities is on the increase due to poverty, malnutrition, and inaccessible healthcare for mother and child. The World Health Organization estimates PWIDs at 75% of total disability population, in any developing country. This situation is confirmed by the presence of a very high population of PWIDs in Kenya. Despite being the majority among people with disabilities in Kenya, PWIDs are concealed, stigmatized and their rights neglected. The Government has recently adopted the human rights approach to disability, which is entrenched in the new constitution. The new constitution recognizes, protects, and promotes disability rights in Kenya. It guarantees to people with all types of disabilities equal recognition before and under the law; and guarantees the right to disability specific supports such as technical, communication, mobility etc.

To Kenyans with intellectual disabilities, the new constitution is a paradigm shift from medical and cultural practices that deny them respect for mental and physical integrity; to a new dawn where diversity is respected and all human rights protected. The constitution introduces respect for PWID’s individual autonomy and puts an end to derogatory terms such as imbeciles, idiots, and lunatics. PWIDs will now be recognized as rights holders, who are entitled to supports, needed to exercise their rights and freedoms. Their modes of communication will be recognized, respected and promoted. They will have equal rights to participate in the democracy and governance processes of their country; including equal participation in the electoral processes. This paradigm shift in attitudes, practices and legislation should be communicated to PWIDs through civic education. The information in the new constitution must be adopted and augmented with appropriate aids for the understanding of Kenyans with intellectual disabilities. PWIDs’ human readers must also be empowered with skills of individualized and alternative modes of communication. The PWID’s human readers must be empowered on the legal obligations of an assistant as provided for in the Disability Act 2003. This will enable PWIDs to access civic education, and enable them to make informed decisions.

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