An important provision in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) under the general obligations (Article 4) is that in the development and implementation of legislation and policies to implement the CRPD and in other decision-making processes concerning issues relating to persons with disabilities, States Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations.
For persons with disabilities, having an opportunity to be actively involved in decision making processes about policies and programs is so critical because for too long they were overlooked and decisions made on their behalf. However, it is important to note that governments world over are recognizing the importance of participation of the people and facilitating such processes. This is the case in Kenya.
To be invited to the decision making table is critical. Yet, in order to make this participation meaningful and effective, people invited around this ‘decision making table’ have to be equipped with a deep understanding of the issues that will be discussed.
Meaningful participation by persons with disabilities on issues that concern them have to be based on a solid knowledge and understanding of the CRPD so as to appreciate the paradigm shift that the CRPD brings for persons with disabilities. Looking also at the opportunities brought by the Agenda 2030, including its Sustainable Development Goals, this moment becomes an opportune time to ensure that development processes do not leave any one behind, thus including persons with disabilities.
As a disability rights advocate and also as a woman with a psychosocial disability, I reflect on an opportunity that has been brought about by the Bridge CRPD-SDG training spearheaded by the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC). It is an opportunity that builds the capacity of persons with disabilities to participate effectively in decision making on matters affecting them.
This training brings together persons with disabilities from different impairment groups and right from the beginning of each training is the emphasis on how together we can build an inclusive disability movement and in turn ensure that we are working together to claim our rights. If we are engaging on issues of disability, it is important to understand the diverse needs/requirements of different persons with disabilities. This means that when we sit at the ‘decision-making table’, together with our diverse experiences, we do not leave any person with disability behind.
In this training I interacted with persons with different impairments/disabilities including intellectual disabilities, persons with deafblindness, deaf people, blind people, those with physical disabilities, hearing impairments, those with albinism, those like myself who have psychosocial disabilities, persons with leprosy, people with Down syndrome, those with autism, albinism, among other impairment groups.
What struck me most during this training was that given the necessary supports and accommodations, all persons with disabilities indeed, on an equal basis with others, achieved their aspirations. Which got me thinking as to why our societies insist on ‘special services provision’ for persons with disabilities. This training is the best example that we can all be accommodated in our societies and achieve our aspirations together, whether we have disabilities or not.
Together we were able to look through the CRPD and appreciate that all persons with disabilities are subjects of rights, with voice; not objects to be pitied, or to be made choices for. Looking in depth through the CRPD we were able to be taken through new concepts that the CRPD brings such as reasonable accommodation, supported decision making, among others. We were able, through the experiences of persons with disabilities from East and West Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Gambia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Tanzania) to see the strides that persons with disabilities have made, the challenges and the opportunities to make sure that our societies become more inclusive of persons with disabilities.
What continues to inspire me is the renewed energy with which we leave these trainings. How in our different capacities we continue to build the case for disability. This for me also includes the ability, as a journalist, to continue to contribute in different media platforms on issues of disability. It also includes the opening of doors to participate more in policy issues concerning disability and also being involved in strengthening of an inclusive disability movement in my country.
More and more as persons with disabilities seek to be part of development processes in our societies, and seeing that the Sustainable Development Goals are highly inclusive of concerns for persons with disabilities, training and capacity building remain key in ensuring meaningful participation in such processes for all.
Bridge CRPD-SDG training is an initiative that should be embraced by more development partners world over to ensure that the capacity of all persons with disabilities is built so that they meaningfully continue to participate in decision making on all matters that affect them.
Elizabeth Ombati 