• admin_fedwenke
• August 25, 2026

WHY THE LANGUAGE OF INCLUSION MATTERS

Disability Inclusion in Kenya. What does inclusion really mean?

We often hear words such as disability inclusion, accessibility, equality and participation. But beyond these words are real people who need to access information, education, healthcare, employment, technology and public services on an equal basis.

For persons with disabilities, especially Deaf people, the barriers are often not caused by disability itself. They are created by systems, environments and services that are not designed to include everyone.

That is why the words we use matter.

When We Normalize Barriers

A Deaf person being left out of a meeting because there is no sign language interpreter is sometimes described as a “communication challenge.”

But is it?

If information is available only through spoken communication, the issue is not that the Deaf person cannot participate. The issue is that the system has not provided the communication access needed for participation.

A video without captions is not fully accessible to everyone. A health facility without communication support can create barriers for Deaf patients. A public meeting without sign language interpretation can prevent Deaf people from sharing their views. These are not simply inconveniences.

They are accessibility barriers. And accessibility barriers can be identified, addressed and removed.

Accessibility Is a Right

Accessibility should not be treated as a favor or something organizations provide only when they have extra resources.

In Kenya, the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025 recognizes accessibility, access to information and full participation and inclusion as important principles in protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. The law also provides for accessible information and communication, including the use of Kenyan Sign Language and other accessible forms of communication. This means accessibility should be part of how we design services from the beginning. We should not wait for a Deaf person to ask, “Where is the interpreter?” We should ask before the event:

How will Deaf people access this information?

How will they participate?

What communication support is needed?

That is what meaningful inclusion looks like.

Disability Inclusion In Kenya Is More Than Being Present

Inviting a person with a disability into a room does not automatically mean they have been included.

A Deaf woman can be present at a meeting but still be unable to follow the discussion if there is no sign language interpretation. A person with a disability can attend a public consultation but still be excluded if their views are not considered. A young Deaf person can be invited to a leadership programme but still face barriers if the training materials and communication are not accessible. Presence is not the same as participation.

True disability inclusion means people can access information, communicate, contribute, make decisions and have their voices heard.

Building Inclusive Services

Everyone can take practical steps towards disability inclusion. It can begin with simple questions:

Is my information accessible?

Are our websites and social media content accessible?

Do our videos have captions?

Can Deaf people communicate with our staff?

Are our events physically and digitally accessible?

Are persons with disabilities involved in decision-making?

These questions can help organizations identify gaps and improve their services.

Accessibility is also becoming increasingly important across Kenya. Government institutions and other organizations are placing greater focus on accessibility audits, disability mainstreaming and inclusive service delivery.

But policies and programmes alone are not enough.

Inclusion must be experienced by the people it is meant to serve. For Deaf women, inclusion also means having opportunities to participate in leadership and decision-making. Deaf women are not only beneficiaries of programmes. They are leaders, advocates, professionals, entrepreneurs, parents, community organizers and change-makers. Their experiences and ideas matter in conversations about healthcare, education, employment, climate change, gender equality, technology and leadership. When decisions are made without the voices of people affected by those decisions, important experiences can be missed. That is why “Nothing About Us Without Us” remains such an important principle in disability rights.

Call It What It Is

This #InclusionMonday, we are challenging ourselves to look differently at the language we use.

A barrier is a barrier. A lack of accessibility is a lack of accessibility. Exclusion should not be made to sound normal simply because it happens often. Instead, let us identify the barriers, listen to the people affected and take action to remove them.

Disability inclusion is not charity. Accessibility is not a favor. Participation is not a privilege. Everyone deserves the opportunity to access information, use services, participate in society and have their voice heard.

Call it what it is.
Challenge the barrier.
Create access.
Make inclusion real.

Because inclusion begins when we stop normalizing barriers and start removing them.