By John Wambua, United Disabled Persons of Kenya
As persons with disabilities, we face a myriad of barriers that hinder our participation in societal affairs on an equal basis as others. Disability-inclusive budgeting in Kenya is one of the clearest ways to change that: lack of meaningful participation and inaccessibility relegate us to spectator roles, muffling our voices and exacerbating the challenges we face. These exclusion practices fall flat when measured against the human rights metrics. Resource allocation is one of the core components to ensure that participation and access for us is secured. Budgeting dictates how resources are distributed and managed. This is why we must participate in budgeting processes and advocate for resource allocations to disability programs.
How Was This Expertise Built?
Through the support of the Africa Disability Forum (ADF) and Center for Inclusive Policy (CIP), I participated in a training course that aimed to equip me with the necessary skills and knowledge to conduct policy and budget analysis in relation to investment in disability inclusion and UNCRPD. After the training, I conducted a study to investigate the budgetary allocations between FY 2019/20 and FY 2023/24 made by government to disability programs and interventions. The study also focused on evaluating existing policies to assess commitments promised in the law and budget allocated to service those commitments, as well as check alignment of these policies with the CRPD. After the study, I developed analysis report which contained key recommendations tailored to enhance disability inclusion through budgetary allocation and legal framework. Afterwards, I engaged in several advocacy activities.
What Advocacy Happened at the County Level?
First, armed with the knowledge acquired, I have engaged and trained several grassroots OPDs and equipped them with skills and knowledge to conduct policy and budget analysis and to effectively develop key messages and advocacy plans to secure budget commitments from their respective county governments. This has led OPDs to develop knowledge products such as memoranda for their respective county executive and county assemblies budget committees. OPDs trained participated in the process of formulating County Fiscal Strategy Paper (CFSP 2024) through public participation process. On the policy side, I have guided OPDs at county level in developing memoranda that align with the CRPD principles i.e during development of memoranda to the Narok County persons with disabilities Bill 2024.
What Advocacy Happened at the National Level?
Secondly, at National level, utilizing the study report, I extracted critical budget information which I used to develop a position paper and key messages for presentation during Public Sector Hearings for the FY 2024/25 and the Med-Term Budget. The position paper was shared to several groups of OPDs which guided them in making submissions during the sectoral hearings. This kind of CRPD compliant budget analysis in Kenya has also fed into national policy: national government has made several calls for public participation in development of numerous policies i.e Social Health Insurance Bill 2024 and Persons with Disabilities Bill (amendment) 2024, I have guide our OPDs groups and developed memoranda to these bills, care been taken to ensure their alignment with the CRPD is secured.
How Were the Findings Shared?
Thirdly, I have been sharing the information and the findings in several budget related sessions that I have been invited to attend. The sessions are normally organized by CSOs in budget sector (IBP, Okoa Uchumi and CSPAN). These CSOs advocate for general issues around budgeting, not primarily disability related. Through participating and sharing the findings and insights, effort is made to ensure the disability component in the CSOs engagement is strengthened. In addition, I have also been sharing the insights on our OPDs sessions and engagements whenever I get the opportunity.
Leveraging on the skills gained and data generated, it has become effective in advocating and influencing change in resource allocation and policy development.
John Wambua
United Disabled Persons of Kenya
