Disability is not Inability

Media awareness on disability issues is growing.

Disability rights issues have been in the limelight in the recent past with an increasing frequency. Journalists go out of their way to follow-up stories about neglect of children with disabilities with equal passion. Deaf, Blind, Multiple disabilities and organizations working with PWDs have been highlighted in the media.

In most cases they are portrayed as unique projects that are in need of more assistance. The Deaf access to VCT services has made Kenyans more aware of deafness mainly because of the many TV news and documentaries carried out.

disability splashed in media

The visibility brought out by the civic education programme has imprinted in our minds the need to be inclusive in providing not only news services but also education and entertainment media.

HIV/AIDs and the vulnerability of the disability community is another area that has hit the print and electronic media with a frequency we hope will jolt policy makers into inclusive resource planning. We have also seen the sports men and women with disabilities splashed in media with their medals.

Long gone are the days when there would be a disagreement with the media representatives any time they were invited to a function organized by persons with disabilities. Misunderstandings were common over many issues especially who should be interviewed and what is newsworthy.

I remember one time in a seminar for the deaf the cameraman refused to take a deaf person signing because he couldn’t understand. Instead wanted to take the interpreter voicing yet it was not the interpreter speaking..

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