The Kisumu Regional Office of the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) joined a forum at ACK Cathedral Hall, Kisumu, on inclusive and reliable access to public information.
The forum was convened by Transparency International Kenya ahead of the 2026 International Day for Universal Access to Information, under the theme Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The role of access to Information in addressing Information Disorder. Ms Anne Anyango represented the Commission on a panel examining the accessibility of public information for women, youth, persons with disabilities and older persons, and the barriers that prevent these groups from effectively exercising their right to information.
WHERE ACCESS FAILS
The discussion highlighted inaccessible public offices and digital platforms, limited availability of information in appropriate formats, and barriers relating to language and communication channels.
Kenya’s Access to Information (General) Regulations require information to be provided in accessible formats for persons with disabilities, including text alternatives, captions and other multimedia alternatives, Kenyan Sign Language interpretation, magnification, Braille and other appropriate formats.
INTEGRITY AND ACCESS
The forum considered access to information alongside information integrity, and heard that reliable, timely and accessible public information supports informed decision-making, meaningful public participation and accountable governance . It also heard that gaps in accessibility can deepen exclusion and leave communities more vulnerable to misinformation and information disorder.
