Josephine Mwende, a mother with cerebral palsy and founder of AbleRise Africa Society, used the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) to demand systemic change for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
While Kenya has made progress in reducing marginalization, Mwende insists more needs to be done to ensure equal access to education, healthcare, and employment.
She proposed a five-point charter to #DISABLETHESTIGMA, calling for:Sustainable inclusion of PWDs in policies and societal norms.
Immediate implementation of disability laws like the Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, 2023.Representation of PWDs in governance, especially at the county level.
Awareness campaigns to challenge stigma and stereotypes.Equitable access to employment and inclusive workplaces.
Mwende’s activism is rooted in personal experience, including being denied maternity care due to discrimination.
She now campaigns for toll-free hotlines to report such incidents, special consultation rooms for women with disabilities, and training for healthcare workersHer vision is to transform narratives about PWDs, shifting from pity and charity to empowerment and equality.
“Stop looking at us as if we are beggars,” she says, urging respect, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of society.
Determined to represent PWDs in government, Mwende hopes to lead Kenya toward a truly inclusive future.