ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PRACTICES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES SHOULD START FROM FAMILIES TO DECISION MAKERS – NUDOR

The National Union of Disability Organizations in Rwanda, NUDOR told TV1 Radio Rwanda that in Rwanda are still some discrimination practices for persons with disabilities, the discrimination that should be fought from family to decision maker institutions and individuals.

The live talk how took place this Thursday 4th March, 2021 on Both TV1 and Radio one. Starting this TV program, The Executive secretary of the National Union of Disability Organizations in Rwanda, Mr. jean Damascene NSENGIYUMVA told the holding TV presenter that in some areas in Rwanda persons with disabilities still face discrimination practices including pejorative names based on disabilities and rules and regulations that do not provide clear regulations to how a person with disability should be treated and participate in community development.

NUDOR Executive Secretary said that the discrimination against persons with disabilities start from their respective families that hide them from childhood to adulthood. He highlighted that some children with disabilities are always hidden from visitors and friends, not allowed to sit, talk and play with other children due to their disabilities and as consequently these children grow up knowing that they are not allowed to enjoy any of these rights. Later, families cannot bring at school children who are always hidden, they cannot benefit from health care services, they cannot be registered in identity books, they cannot play with other children in the community and the discrimination stays there until he/she becomes old. He recommended that NUDOR’s wish is a family and community where persons with disabilities can enjoy their rights as other of their members regardless of their disabilities. 

Among the speakers of the Talk show was Mrs. MUREKATETE Brigitte, The project manager of the project “promotion of Anti-Discrimination practices for persons with disabilities in Rwanda”, the project supported by CBM Germany, who said the project was thought about after finding that there were practices against persons with disability and discrimination towards them. She added that from the starting of the project in 2019, they are doing advocacy through around 3 activities; conducting advocacy campaigns to show leaders how the rights of persons with disabilities are being violated and how some articles from UNCRPD that Rwanda signed and ratified are not being applied. Second, training persons with disabilities themselves on their rights and ask them to fight for them and third, holding together people and institutions that work closely with people including service providers, opinion leaders and others to make sure persons with disabilities around their activities are given their rights as others.    

Concluding the talk show, NUDOR thanked the Government for its initiative and effort made from some areas like in education, where the inclusive education learning started from teacher Training center schools, hoping that next fears years Rwanda will have teachers with skills on how to help learners with disabilities to learn together with other children.