PERSONS WITH DISABILITY FROM NYAMASHEKE DISTRICT COMMITTED TO DOING MORE IN ADVOCACY AFTER BEING EXPLAINED ON CATEGORIES OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR RIGHTS.

It is the training of members of different committees of persons with disabilities including NCPD representatives on Sector and cell levels in Nyamasheke district.. they are being trained on Human rights and rights of persons with disability. The trainings were organised by the National Union of Disability Organisations in Rwanda NUDOR under the project “Promotion of ant-discrimination practices for persons with disabilities in Rwanda”, supported by CBM Germany and BMZ.

Starting the training, MUKARUSINE Claudine, NUDOR Capacity building officer in this project explained 5 categories of persons with disabilities accepted by 2007 Law of disability in Rwanda. These are 1. physical disability, 2 vision impairment, 3. deaf people, 4. Mental disability and 5 others. The last category of others includes all other kind of disabilities not included in 4 categories. these are like persons with short stature, persons with albinism etc.

The training participants got excited to know their categories as they said it will help them to do more advocacy for the people they know. they shared experiences on challenges every category face, the experience they said will help them in advocacy especially in local government institutions. MUKESHIMANA James from Kirimbi Sector, one of the participant said “We get to know different challenges for different categories of persons with disability. The challenges for the deaf people are not the same with persons with Vision impairment or persons with mental disability. some of the challenges are common and others are particular to one category. These challenges will guide us in doing advocacy for people we are representing”.

UWAMURENGEYE fortunee from Macuba Sector has physical disability and is one of the participant. She says “I knew some of categories of persons with disabilities and others were confused. After knowing the real categories and our rights in society, I will do more for my advocacy and for my colleagues with other disabilities in the community. this will include the right to education, vote, having a family and respect in family, fight against isolation and be self confident and I will fight any form of discrimination based on disability.

The training is for two days and participants hope to get more experience on how to deal with different challenges that are facing persons with disability, particularly discrimination challenges.