Surpassing Limits and Building Beyond: Defining What True Inclusion Looks, Feels, and Sounds Like.

              

                      

Women and Girls with Disabilities in Kenya

Overcoming Double Discrimination

By: Mary Githinji

This essay explores the double discrimination experienced by women and girls with disabilities in Kenya and proposes practical ways to break these barriers under the “Beyond Barriers” blog theme.

Double discrimination, also known as intersectional discrimination, refers to the combined disadvantages that arise when disability and gender intersect. Women and girls with disabilities experience discrimination, exclusion, and violence not only because of their impairment but also because of deeply rooted societal expectations about what women should do and be.

According to Kenya’s 2019 Population and Housing Census, persons with disabilities constitute approximately 2.2 % of the population, with women accounting for a higher share  than men. Roughly 57 % of all persons with disabilities are women.

 These women face elevated rates of poverty, gender-based violence, limited access to education and healthcare .Also systematic exclusion from economic and political life compared with both men with disabilities and women without disabilities. Cultural beliefs that still frame disability as a curse or family shame in some communities further deepen the isolation, especially for girls who are hidden at home or denied opportunities that their non-disabled sisters receive. The result is a cycle of marginalization that begins early and often persists across a lifetime.

In the Kenyan context, cultural and attitudinal barriers remain powerful. In some rural communities, families still hides girls with disabilities, leading to lower school enrolment, higher dropout rates, and limited socialization. Girls with disabilities frequently encounter bullying, inaccessible school environments, lack of assistive devices, and teachers unprepared for inclusive or gender-sensitive pedagogy. Rural areas, where more than 80% of persons with disabilities live, encounter critical resources constraints. Even when progressive policies exist, implementation gaps in education mean that many girls never complete secondary education or progress to vocational skills training.

Healthcare presents another critical barrier. Women with disabilities report significant difficulties accessing reproductive health services, maternal care, and general medical attention. Physical inaccessibility of facilities which lack of ramps, adjustable examination couches, or accessible delivery beds, communication barriers that is absence of sign language interpreters or information in accessible format, and dismissive or discriminatory attitudes among some providers all contribute to poorer health outcomes. Contraceptive use among women with disabilities remains substantially lower than the national average, and many report being offered limited or forceful options. These barriers increase vulnerability to unintended pregnancy, obstetric complications, and gender-based violence, including forms of violence unique to disability such as denial of assistive devices or forced sterilization

Employment and economic empowerment remain unattainable for the majority. Despite legal protections, women with disabilities are often overlooked for formal jobs, given low paying informal work, or denied promotions. Access to skills training, credit, and markets is limited. Only a small fraction of public institutions fully meet the 5% employment quota for persons with disabilities, and women with disabilities face additional gender biases in hiring and self employment support.

Socially and politically, these women experience isolation. They are under-represented in community decision-making, leadership structures, and political spaces. Higher risks of sexual and gender-based violence are well documented, yet many cases go unreported because justice systems are inaccessible or unresponsive to their specific needs.

Kenya has made important policy advances. The Constitution (Article 27 and Article 54) guarantees equality and specific rights for persons with disabilities. The Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, marks a significant step forward. It explicitly recognizes the rights of women with disabilities to participate in decision-making, protection from sexual and gender-based violence, access to sexual and reproductive health services, retention and control of fertility, and the right not to be deprived of their children on grounds of disability. It also treats denial of reasonable accommodation as a form of discrimination and strengthens employment obligations.

Success stories demonstrate what is possible when barriers are deliberately removed. Stella King’ori, a woman with a disability, transformed a small retail business through a

TechnoServe and Sightsavers programme that provided accessible business training, assistive support, and linkage to supply chains. Her weekly revenue grew dramatically, she employed others, and she became an advocate for inclusion.

 

Frashia Muthoni, a visually impaired entrepreneur from Murang’a, built a successful general supplies and construction company that has won government tenders and constructed roads, dispensaries, and classrooms.

                                                          

  

                

In Kilifi County, organized women with disabilities successfully advocated for specific budget allocations for empowerment programs, assistive devices, and disability centers, securing millions of shillings in the county budget.  

                                  

Groups such as Tunaweza PWD Group in Mombasa have created collective enterprises producing jewellery, reusable sanitary pads, and other products, combining economic activity with mutual support and advocacy. Light for the World’s Inclusive Business (In-Business) project has supported hundreds of micro-entrepreneurs with disabilities and their caregivers with training, growth kits, and market linkages, enabling many women to expand from canteens or small trading into more sustainable enterprises.

These examples show that targeted, accessible support combined with self-advocacy and collective organizing produces concrete results.

To overcome double discrimination, practical strategies are required at multiple levels. At the individual level, self-advocacy training, peer mentoring, and leadership programs build confidence and skills. Community-level interventions should include sustained awareness campaigns in schools, churches, markets, and media that challenge stigma and promote positive narratives. Faith-based organizations, which hold significant influence in Kenyan society, can model inclusion by making their spaces and programs fully accessible.

Institutionally, teacher training must integrate gender-sensitive inclusive education approaches. Healthcare facilities need physical accessibility improvements, trained staff that is sign language interpreters, and respectful, non-discriminatory service delivery especially for sexual and reproductive health. Employers require practical support and incentives to meet the 5% quota and provide reasonable accommodations. Economic programs should deliberately target women with disabilities with accessible business skills training, assistive technology, credit, and preferential procurement opportunities under AGPO (Access to Government Procurement Opportunities).

Policymakers and implementers must prioritize enforcement of the 2025 Act, allocate dedicated resources for women-specific disability programs, improve disability and gender disaggregated data collection, and ensure meaningful participation of women with disabilities in the design and monitoring of all relevant policies. Collaboration between government, OPDs, NGOs such as ATP, United Disabled Persons of Kenya, and community structures will accelerate progress.

In conclusion, double discrimination against women and girls with disabilities in Kenya is a serious but solvable challenge. By addressing the intersection of gender and disability head on through stronger enforcement of progressive laws, practical accessible services, economic empowerment, and a cultural shift away from stigma we create ripple effects that strengthen families, communities, and the nation.

As future trainers of trainers, we have a responsibility to equip educators, parents, health workers, employers, and community leaders with the knowledge, attitudes, and tools needed for genuine inclusion.

The “Beyond Barriers” vision is clear: every woman and girl with a disability deserves dignity, opportunity, and belonging. Let us move deliberately from policy to practice, from awareness to sustained action. When we empower these women, Kenya as a whole rises.