Network Update:Experiences of Women and Girls with Disabilities around Gender Based Violence and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights

Friday 3rd June 2022,Nairobi - Kenya 

   


Through our current Network Host, Women Challenged to Challenge; the Kenya Network of Women and Girls with Disabilities was privileged to receive grant from Womankind Worldwide to advance our advocacy work. Our major activity over the past few months has been documenting the experiences of women and girls with disabilities in rural areas on the issues around their access to sexual and reproductive health services(SRH), as well as gender based violence, more so during the pandemic. 

We recently carried out surveys in four (4) counties in Kenya namely Busia, Mandera, Machakos and Nyeri. Through these surveys, we hoped to bring to attention the experiences of women and girls with disabilities, with a focus on grassroots movements. By highlighting these experiences, we hope to keep working towards addressing arising issues, as well as working with women and girls with disabilities to strengthen our own self advocacy and being the champions in addressing gender based violence as well. 

Our early findings are showing that women and girls with disabilities in all the four (4) counties have faced a form of violence in the last two (2 ) years. This has been common even before the pandemic. The perpetrators of these heinous acts are mostly people known to the victims. Many participants indicated that the abusers are either their spouses/boyfriends, known family members, and caregivers who can be relatives or neighbors. 

A majority of the women knew where to report cases of violence, either to the police, community elders or members of the family. Unfortunately, several reported cases are not taken seriously while some law enforcers are bribed by the perpetrators and their families to drop the cases. Access to justice for women and girls with disabilities who are victims of gender-based violence is still a major challenge that needs a solution.

The women and girls with disabilities also reported to have sought several SRH services such as family planning, general clinic, maternal health rights and VCT mostly from public health facilities.

Based on the findings of the focus groups, the following are coming as recommendations among others: the need for continuous rights capacity building for women and girls with disabilities alongside women without disabilities; the need for more awareness and disabilities training to services providers especially health practitioners to minimize stigma and negative attitudes; engaging County governments to have structures in addressing issue of women and girls with disabilities among others. 

This morning, 3rd June 2022, we are meeting as the Network to further delve on these issues, and make further recommendations. We appreciate all our supporters who are working with us to make our societies more inclusive of all women and girls with disabilities.


Compiled by Network Members;

Angeline Akai - Kenya Society for the Blind

Rose Resiato -Rural Women Voices CBO 

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