Kenya Network of Women and Girls with Disabilities

Early in the year, together with United Disabled Persons of Kenya and with technical support from the International Commission of Jurists, Africa Regional Programme, we made a submission to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD Committee) on the draft guidelines on addressing multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination against women and girls with disabilities. Our submission can be read online on this link: https://www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/2025/call-written-submissions-draft-guidelines-addressing-multiple-and Our submission was largely informed by the feedback provided in a forum we convened in September 2025. The forum brought together twenty-five (25) women and girls with disabilities who shared their lived experiences of discrimination across different areas of their lives.  Diverse experiences Our submission describes these diverse experiences where women and girls with disabilities are exposed to multiple and intersecting forms of d...

The Network is honored to have been selected as one of 16 partners under the Meaningful Engagement - Transformative Action (META) consortium that shall receive small grants to strengthen their capacities and influence. Our proposed project is on making the green transition inclusive of women with disabilities.   META is a joint initiative by African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), the Coalition for Sustainable Development (SDGs Kenya Forum) and Stitching Women Engage for a Common Future International (WECF) with support from the European Union Delegation (EUD) in Kenya.  Please read more about the META Consortium and its objectives on this link. About our Proposed Project  The project aims to ensure that women with disabilities in Mandera and Nairobi are meaningfully included in green transition efforts.While Mandera faces the harsh realities of climate change such as droughts, food insecurity and environmental degradation, Nairobi on the other han...

Article compiled by Network Coordinating Team. Email:  advocacynetworkkenya@gmail.com Our member, Benter Mboya, recently attended the 85th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights ( ACHPR ) courtesy of the International Commission of Jurists – Africa Regional Programme , which supported all her travel logistics. ICJ-Africa have previously engaged the Network when, together with the United Disabled Persons of Kenya, they hosted a consultative forum with us on barriers that women and girls with disabilities face in accessing justice. We were thus happy that they also supported our members, logistic-wise and technically, in taking part in sessions by the ACHPR.  The ACHPR is a regional monitoring mechanism that forms part of the African Union, established under the African Charter . It is mandated to promote and protect human rights in Africa.   Benter Mboya, a grassroots leader, is a woman with a disability who hails from Kisum...

Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter is a proverb that reminds us of the importance of perspective, voice, and representation. As women with disabilities, or broadly as people with disabilities, we have the privilege now, to tell our stories, to frame them in a way that returns dignity to our lives. Because often, this perspective is missing. In this piece,  Mildred Omino reflects on why more women with disabilities must occupy high level policy engagements. Please read on.   ‘When more people are used to our presence, especially in high policy events, maybe, just maybe, they will stop making ableist remarks masked as complements.’  ‘You are so eloquent!’ I was a speaker in a policy event that brought together key stakeholders in public and private sectors. I made pretty powerful remarks. My lived experience growing up as a disabled girl has brought with it many lessons. I have had to turn around experiences that were not so good, to w...

There is a disturbing video of a Kenyan MP asking a person with a disability (someone of short stature) to run across a podium, to make a point as to why people with a disability cannot be employed in the police force. The MP asks the disabled man to make a ‘salute gesture’ and goes ahead to laugh at the whole scenario, while saying that ‘people should stop joking about hiring disabled people in the police force.’ At the Podium where everyone laughs at the deeply concerning scene of blatant ableism, sits the Cabinet Secretary in charge of the security docket. There is also another man with a disability on the podium. This has drawn widespread and sharp criticism, as it should. As women with disabilities, we are also adding our voices to condemn it.  Ableism as violence At the onset, we are naming this type of violence. It is called ableism. Ableism is a form of discrimination against people with disabilities rooted in the belief that nondisabled people or typical abilities—such as ...

The Network and CREA have recently collaborated on an inspiring piece of work to advance conversations on preventing and eliminating gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls, including those with disabilities, as well as strengthening women’s leadership and women’s political participation in decision-making. This is under the Women Gaining Ground (WGG) Consortium.  WGG aims to equip women and girls with the necessary tools and skills to be architects of a society free from violence, and lead political and social transformation to redefine, prevent, and eliminate GBV. The collaborative piece entailed two strands. Firstly, we brought together women with disabilities who are members of the Network to reflect and dialogue on progress made in as far as ending violence against women and girls with disabilities, and engagement in political participation is concerned. Secondly, and as a follow-up, we held a Policy Dialogue event that brought together stakeholders from governmen...