Disability and Social Justice Conference was held in Nairobi ,Kenya on 15th and 16th June 2017. The conference that brought together scholars and activists was organized by Twaweza Communications and Arizona State University.
Papers presented during the conference covered several themes including Disability and the Law,Support Networks-Role of the Family and Women,Challenges of Implementing Inclusive Education and Medical Genetics ,Problem Framing & Persons with Disabilities.
Other concerns addressed during the conference include Cultural perceptions on Disability by family and Local Leaders,Role of Persons with Disabilities in Alcohol and Drug Abuse,Countering Socio-cultural Beliefs and Stigma in the Kenyan deaf community,Disability and Safety and Impact of Disability and Marriage & Family Institution.
It was noted that there are several pieces of legislation,policies and legal instruments which were not effectively implemented to address Disability and Social Justice in Kenya.There is need to develop strategies for effective monitoring of the policies and legislation towards effective implementation.
Steady progress has been made in Kenya towards enhancing Sign Language Interpretation on Television,However there is need for media monitoring to ascertain the extent to which the media is ensuring that there is adequate content on disability as stipulated by law.
The low uptake of research and development in terms of education,Adaptive Technology must be addressed to enable equal chances for persons with disabilities in education,economic empowerment and social integration.
