A Ford Foundation Grant to Support Participation of Women and Girls with Disabilities in Leadership and Governance


In Kenya, a gap continues to exist within the leadership and governance space for women and girls with disabilities. According to the Kenya 2019 census, 2.2% (0.9 million people) of Kenyans have some form of disability, with a majority being women with disabilities at 2.5% (523,184) and 1.9% (393,451) of men with disabilities. Further, there is evidence to show that women with disabilities are underrepresented in many spheres of life, including within leadership and governance. 

Kenya has just come out of an election and the concern has been raised of the lack of representation across board, more so the representation of persons with disabilities. Whereas the election outcome indicates a slight improvement in the numbers of women elected in various seats, notably, none of the elected women in the National Assembly and Governors are women with disabilities.

In addition, the nomination of persons with disabilities across the country was similarly disappointing, with over 21 counties lacking representation of persons with disabilities. It is indicative of the general narrative under which a lack of representation signals a lack of commitment to the full inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in general, and women with disabilities in particular.

This not only negates Constitutional requirements that at least five percent of the members of the public in elective and appointive bodies are persons with disabilities, but it also results in governance gaps and policy spaces that are non-responsive to needs of persons with disabilities in general, as well as needs of women with disabilities in particular.

Kenya’s national values and principles as espoused in the Constitution, include principles of equity, social justice and inclusiveness. It is also true that when persons with disabilities participate in leadership spaces and public life, their voice is heard and reflected in policy decisions. 

The Network is thus really glad to have received a two year grant from the Ford Foundation; to consider the above gaps that exist within leadership and governance spaces for women and girls with disabilities. There is an urgent need to make space for ourselves, as women and girls with disabilities, on the national stage while also building the critical mass within our constituencies to take up this space.

Through the project, the Network shall engage with three constituents across four counties of Mombasa, Kisumu, Kakamega, and Nairobi including women with disabilities particularly those in leadership positions and public office, organisations of persons with disabilities organising around women and girls with disabilities as well as mainstream women's rights and feminist organisations.

The Network members are really excited about the coming days where our hope is to see more representation and advocacy for the rights of girls and women with disabilities in various spaces. We are also hopeful to see a disability activism space that is built around an understanding of the need for more concerted efforts by women with disabilities in the leadership and governance spaces. We would also like to see an inclusive activism space across different rights issues which would translate into mainstream organisations actively supporting disability activism within their programming changing the narrative on the leadership capability of girls and women with disabilities.


Write to us, partner with us, and let us create a society that is fully inclusive of all women and girls with disabilities: Email: advocacynetworkkenya@gmail.com and Follow us on twitter: @Kwwdnetwork .

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