STATEMENT ON THE COMMEMORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) joins Kenyans and the global community in commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), marked annually on 3rd December. The 2025 theme is “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress”. It calls on all nations to remove the legal, institutional, physical, digital and attitudinal barriers that exclude persons with disabilities from fully participating in development.

Kenya continues to make progress in strengthening disability inclusion. The Constitution of Kenya, particularly Article 54, guarantees the rights of persons with disabilities and obligates the State to take legislative, policy and administrative measures to actualize these rights. The enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025 marks a significant milestone, modernizing the legal framework and alignment with global and regional standards, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This Act introduces stronger provisions on inclusive education, accessible infrastructure, reasonable accommodation, participation, and institutional accountability in national and county governments.

While appreciating these advancements, many persons with disabilities in Kenya face predictable  systemic barriers that restrict access to education, employment, health services, justice, and participation in leadership and decision-making. Children with disabilities are excluded from schooling due to among others; inaccessible facilities, lack of  assistive devices, insufficient specialized teachers, and persistent stigma. Adults with disabilities encounter multiple discrimination in the labour market. They are exposed to constrained mobility, and inaccessibility to services . Women and girls with disabilities face heightened vulnerability to violence, harmful practices, exploitation and neglect, often with limited access to justice or protection services. These challenges undermine the nation’s efforts toward inclusive development.

The Commission acknowledges the ongoing efforts by Ministries, Departments and Agencies, county governments, and organizations of and for persons with disabilities to advance accessibility, inclusive education, social protection and representation. However, the lived realities of many persons with disabilities reveals gaps in the implementation particularly in the enforcement of accessibility standards, affirmative resource allocation, generation of  disability-disaggregated data, and indeed the full compliance with principles  of equality and non-discrimination.

As we commemorate this day and in line with its constitutional mandate, the National Gender and Equality Commission calls for concerted, multi-sectoral action to foster disability-inclusive societies and advance social progress. Specifically, the Commissions calls on:

1. National Government to fully operationalize the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025 through regulations, adequate resourcing of disability programs, and enforcement of accessibility and non-discrimination provisions. There are opportunities to mainstreaming disability inclusion in all sectoral policies, plans and budgets, including education, health, housing, transport, justice, digitization,  and green transitions.
2. County Governments to integrate disability inclusion measures within County Annual Development Plans and budgets; establish and adequately fund county disability units and data systems; invest in accessible infrastructure, inclusive education and community-based rehabilitation; and work closely with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to identify and address local barriers to full empowerment of PWDs.
3. Public and Private Sectors to comply with the minimum threshold of employment quota for PWD employees, adopt inclusive recruitment and retention practices, provide reasonable accommodation in workplace, and ensure that services, communication and digital platforms are accessible to PWDs.
4. Development Partners and Civil Society to support disability-inclusive programming, strengthen the capacity and meaningful participation of Organizations of and for Persons with Disabilities, and invest in research and data to inform evidence-based interventions, especially for children and women with disabilities living in poverty or at risk of violence, displacement, and exploitation.
5. Communities, Media and Families to challenge stigma, harmful beliefs and discriminatory practices; protect children and adults with disabilities from violence and neglect; and uphold their right to education, dignity, participation and equal treatment.

NGEC re-affirms its commitment to advocating for inclusive development for all persons with disabilities in Kenya. Let us all work together to foster disability inclusive collectives that advance social progress.

Thank you.

Hon. Rehema Jaldesa

CHAIRPERSON