Women With Disabilities in Khwisero Push for Inclusive Policies, Demand Better Reproductiv

Women With Disabilities in Khwisero Push for Inclusive Policies, Demand Better Reproductive Health Services

Women living with disabilities in Khwisero Sub County have urged both levels of government to take stronger and more deliberate action to ensure their voices, needs and rights are fully recognised in local development planning. Their call came during a seminar held yesterday in Khwisero, an event organised by This Ability, an organisation that has been working for years to amplify the voices of persons with disabilities across the country.

The meeting drew women from all corners of the Sub County, some arriving with mobility aids, others accompanied by personal assistants, and many determined to speak openly about the challenges they endure in silence. What unfolded was a candid and sometimes emotional discussion about the daily realities of being a woman with a disability in rural Kenya.

A recurring concern throughout the session was reproductive health. Many participants described a healthcare environment that still treats women with disabilities as afterthoughts. Several narrated experiences of being dismissed or handled with insensitivity by health workers who questioned their sexuality, doubted their ability to raise families or made prejudiced assumptions about their reproductive choices. Others spoke of encounters in clinics where they struggled to access information because there were no sign language interpreters, braille materials or disability friendly spaces that ensured privacy and dignity.

They called on both county and national governments to make reproductive health services more accessible, humane and respectful. They stressed that disability should never be used, explicitly or silently, to deny women access to family planning, antenatal care, safe delivery services or postnatal support. For many, the demand was simple: treat us as women first, and with the dignity every woman deserves.

Economic empowerment also featured prominently in the conversations. Many of the women noted that although government enterprise funds and training programmes exist, access remains difficult for persons with disabilities because of unfriendly processes and limited outreach. They argued that without economic opportunities, women with disabilities are left vulnerable socially, financially and sometimes even physically.

Concerns were also raised about public infrastructure. Participants pointed out that several government buildings, schools and health centres still lack basic accessibility features, making it difficult for them to access services without assistance. They urged county officials to ensure that all public facilities, new and old, are designed or upgraded with disability inclusion in mind.

Representatives from This Ability commended the women for speaking boldly about issues often ignored. They noted that the organisation will work closely with local leaders to ensure the recommendations raised in Khwisero feed into county and national policy discussions.

Local administrators present at the seminar acknowledged the concerns raised and promised to escalate them to relevant departments. They also encouraged women with disabilities to continue engaging actively in public forums, assuring them that their participation is crucial to community development.

By the close of the meeting, one thing was unmistakable: the women of Khwisero are determined to be heard. Their message was firm, their stories powerful and their expectations clear. They want a society where disability does not diminish their place, their dignity or their access to essential services, especially those tied to their health, wellbeing and future.