Disability is not Inability

:: The Kenya Disability Survey finally kicks off.

The disability Survey kicks off in April 2007, after months of behind the scenes work that involves various stakeholders led by the National Coordinating Agency for Population and Development (NCAPD), Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS), National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), USAID among others. The survey which is long overdue is expected to take four months and will significantly improve the ability of the government to plan quantity and quality of service delivery ha the disability community needs.

The excuse will no longer be that we do not know how many persons with disabilities there are so we cannot allocate funding or plan for the future. We would hopefully be able o calculate the actual cost of implementing the provisions of the persons with disability Act 2004. The slow if no outright ignorance of the Disability Act enacted in 2004, has been mainly fear within the government that in enacting the Act they might have bitten more than they can chew in terms of resource allocation.

Announced reserach assistants positions

The NCAPD announced recently opportunities for research assistants to help in the statistical survey that will be quite involving. The advertisement for various categories of qualifications shows the kind of trade offs the survey consultants had to make. According to the announcement in the press, Social scientists, disability assessors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, clinical officers (ENT/Ophthalmologists) orthopedic technologists and nurses with research experience. Are required o submit their testimonials to the local regional coordinators offices located in district planning unit offices mentioned.

This means that the Survey decided to rely on people who have been in constant contact with person with disabilities especially children with disabilities. He survey also took he assumption ha these service providers have been located in local institutions providing service o persons with disabilities, so he would know where o easily locate hem.

Quite a number of the adults with disabilities unless they have had medical reasons related to their disability will be better covered by the personnel related to or with experience in their adult life. The strategy implies also that the low capacity of adults with disabilities made them mainly not easily qualify for the research assistants positions. but notably absent from his are sign language interpreters and the fact that sign language was no one of he language constituencies se up in he survey. The survey will be conducted in different languages including Luhya, Luo, Kisii, Kamba, Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Meru, Embu, Miji Kenda, Maasai and Somali with provincial geographical areas serving as coordinating stations called regional coordinators.

Qualifications for the positions

To qualify one must possess: O level with minimum grade C with professional training up to diploma, Degree or its equivalent from recognised institutions in relevant courses/disciplines. Experience in survey and research work. Be capable of walking long distances in collection of data. Be able to speak one of the languages mentioned above. Persons with disabilities with analytical skills or who meet the above qualifications are encouraged to apply.

A person with disabilities with skills is a qualification that has brought its issues. What are analytical skills and how would he be evaluated a he district level. What about persons with hearing or visual impairments. How do analytical he qualify if he wanted. Why this is such an issue is that man persons with disabilities have very few if any opportunities for earning an income. It is a shame that every new thing that comes up always sidelines us in one way or another. Of course this should not be a consideration that overrides the quality of the survey results.

A common perception within the disability community is that we are usually more of specimens and are deliberately not empowered to lead anything. NCAPD does a lot of training what not do the same for PWDs to enable them lead own and full participate in the survey. There has been murmurs ha the bearucrates have been seating on his project for too long without much involvement of he community

Another issue is the implication that only persons with physical disabilities are recognized and therefore favored. Physically challenged persons will qualify substantially in relation o educational and professional experiences than people with sensor disabilities. Organizations of persons with disabilities should be more involved in relation he survey. This is especially important to begin at the policy stage. Many of the assumptions may not go in well, as the only reinforce current prevalent sigma and inter-disability conflicts.

Mode of applications

Mode of application involves applicants sending their with attached CV's and copies of academic and professional certificates should be submitted to the Regional Coordinators offices (RPCs) or District Statistical Offices (DSCs) on or before 30th March 2007,

It is our hope that these issues will be irrelevant in the drive to achieve the main targets of the survey. It is our hope that the survey will provide reliable data that will not reinforce an biases. Such reliability is necessary since the distribution of or allocation of resources should follow needs of all according to their numbers.

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