We were in Gambia!


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 who 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 challenges that women and girls with disabilities face in accessing justice. We were thus happy that they also supported our member 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 Kisumu County and works as a village administrator.  As a Network that brings together women with disabilities-led organisations, we are increasingly happy and encouraged when our members are afforded such opportunities to advance their advocacy in regional platforms.

Many of our members run small self-help groups that are informal and doing great work at community level. Benter for example runs an organization known as Kilo Disabled Self-help Group, a grassroots organization that works on diverse issues including on reproductive health and access to sexual, reproductive health rights by women with disabilities. They also address issues of violence including sexual gender-based violence, and as Benter offers, ‘our major work is to see that the rights of women and girls with disabilities are secured.’

For Benter, and many other women leaders with disabilities running informal groups, accessing spaces like the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Gambia, can seem so far away.  It is one of the things that we are aware of as a Network, and by us coming together, it has been easier to meet partners who support our members to access such spaces which they could not otherwise access. “I am so happy that the Network proposed me to represent them in Gambia,” said Benter.

How the journey went

We were curious to know about Benta’s journey to Banjul, Gambia. As a wheelchair user, initially Benter was apprehensive about flying so far away. Her journey from Kisumu to Banjul lasted about 14 hours, with some stops along the way which was useful for her in terms of getting rest. What was also really useful for Benter is that a colleague from ICJ-Africa arrived in Banjul earlier which was easier to check and ensure accessibility of spaces, like hotels, movement from the airport to the hotel and to the conference center, and as Benter attested, ‘this was thoughtful of them as it supported my journey to be smooth.’

At Network level we checked with Benter on a regular basis, and she shared with us the proceedings in Banjul. At Network level we strive to ensure an effective internal communication model where a member can update others of the goings-on in the spaces they are in, to support collective growth. 

In one of the side events where Benter spoke, she made a plea to ensure that caregivers of children with disabilities are also afforded advocacy spaces where they can address issues related to children with disabilities. She mentioned the discrimination by association that caregivers of children with disabilities face, as well as stigma and isolation. In her rural community, Benter continues to work with caregivers of children with disabilities from informal settlement schemes where she attests to the many challenges that they face as they raise their children with disabilities. 

Benter attended different sessions, both public sessions as well as side events, such as one on Making Disability Rights a Continental Pledge by ICJ-Africa. We are inspired that the ICJ-Africa are working on An OPD Handbook: Engaging African Human Rights Mechanisms to advance disability rights which is critical in supporting our organisations in engaging with these mechanisms.

Warm people 

With an extremely busy calendar, Benter was able to find some few minutes to visit the beach. This was both relaxing and refreshing and a chance to tour Gambia.  ‘I found the Gambian people to be so warm and welcoming,” said Benter adding that this made her enjoy her stay the more. 

Having recently returned, Benter is appreciative of the connections she made while in Gambia. She is keen to keep these connections and open more opportunities for women and girls with disabilities. 

“I am so happy that ICJ-Africa supported my travel to Gambia, as well as ensuring that I could travel with my aide. This made my participation meaningful,” said Benter. She added, “Thank you also to the Network through which this engagement happened.” 

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