Disability is not Inability

:: Disability and the Media Bill 2007 debate.

As debate rages on weather the media should self regulate or be subject to a statutory regulation framework, the inclusion of an organisation of persons with disabilities in the Proposed Media BIll 2007 has sparked a controversy as to the relevance of some of the organisation sitting on that Board.

Some have seen the Weird hand of government seeking to propagate its dictatorial schemes historically associated with information management and the process of democratization.

The article begins by asking the question of relevance of media to the disability community. Many have seen the organisation representing the community as of no relevance to regulation the media.

However this article thinks otherwise atleast in relation to the role the media has played in propagating discrimination of the disability community. The article then gives examples of such discrimination and expresses the powerlessness of the disability community in negotiating with the media. This has led to the situation in which the community accepts access at whatever cost.

The article finaly puts up the opinion that the inclusion of the organisation of persons with disability in a statutory regulatory body is a good break that would significantly enable empowerment of disability in relation to portrals in the media.

disability kenya.