The most recent available data on persons with disabilities in Kenya can be found in the Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey (KIHBS) 2015/16, the 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census and the Kenya National Survey for Persons with Disabilities 2007.

The 2009 Census and the 2015/16 KIHBS found respectively that 3.5 per cent and 2.8 per cent of the population in Kenya has some form of disability, while the 2007 National Survey for Persons with Disabilities found a higher prevalence rate of 4.6 per cent[1].

There is a strong correlation between poverty and disability, with approximately 67% of people with disabilities live in poverty[2]. Poverty can be the cause of disability, particularly in developing countries where issues around food insecurity, malnutrition, water/sanitation and lack of health care services can increase the likelihood of people developing a disability. Similarly, development of a disability can easily push people into poverty through the negative impact on access to employment and income-generating activities.

The poverty-disability nexus affects the quality of life of the individual:

• Treatment and care. The burden of care within the household is higher in households caring for persons with disabilities who are faced with the costs of clinic visits, medication, treatment and assistive devices among others. Additional costs are a further challenge, particularly for caregivers as they are often unable to fully engage in income-generating activities due to their care duties.
• Employment and social services. More than half of persons with disabilities reported in the 2015/16 KIHBS that they have difficulties engaging in economic activities. Children with disabilities also experience barriers in accessing education: according to the 2009 census, 17 per cent of children aged between six and 17 have never attended school, compared to 10 per cent of children without disabilities.
• Participation in social life. In many communities, disabled family members are often hidden away due to societal stigma and prejudices. Children are especially affected, as they are often abused and abandoned[3].

In addition, evidence from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights shows that many persons with disabilities are not aware of their rights, nor the legislation in place to protect and promote their well-being, including the right to access social services such as education, health care and support with job training and employment[4].

All these factors will be, of course, exacerbated in a fragile context like Kibera.

Kibera is the largest slum in Nairobi, and one of the biggest in the world, housing around 1 million people. The land makes up around 5% of Nairobi’s landmass, and yet nearly 50% of the country’s population live there, making it one of the most densely populated places in the world.

A fifth of children die before their 5th birthday, and around half of Kibera’s population are children under the age of 15, many of whom have been orphaned by AIDS. Life in Kibera can be unimaginably difficult. There are no government clinics or hospitals, and all medical care is provided for by charities.

The residents of Kibera tend to live in small shacks, built with mud and concrete, which can often house up to eight or more people. Fresh running water is not available to the majority of homes, and just 20% of Kibera has electricity. Kibera is owned entirely by the government, and around 90% of the population rent their home.

So, unsurprisingly, in Kibera disabled people end up leading particularly difficult lives, often characterized by episodes of violence and discrimination inside and outside their homes.
Many developed and developing countries are working to improve the lives and livelihoods of persons with disabilities by investing in social protection schemes. However, more needs to be done to build and strengthen social security systems to ensure that persons with disabilities can access the income support they need.

Ph credit: Irene De Angelis

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