Bungoma County Disability Mainstreaming Policy 2022

Abstract

According to Kenya’s Constitution 2010 article 260 “disability includes any physical, sensory, mental, psychological or other impairment, condition or illness that has, or is perceived by significant sectors of the community to have, a substantial or long term effect on an individual’s ability to carry out ordinary day-today activities”. As reported in the World Report on Disability, Persons with Disabilities, in countries around the world experience higher rates of poverty and inequality than people without disabilities. This is attributed to low access to development opportunities and resources. Males at all ages have higher levels of disability, and the prevalence increases dramatically across the world in people older than 60. Persons with Disabilities constitute 15 per cent of the world’s population. This is an approximate one (1) billion people, according to the World Health Organization Report of June 2011. The Report says that 80 per cent of the Persons with Disabilities are living in developing countries. As of October 2014, the population of Kenya was estimated to be forty- four million people (44 million) out of whom, six million Six hundred thousand (6.6 million) are persons with disabilities. Kenya’s National Census 2009 revealed that approximately 1.33 million were persons with disabilities or a 3.5 per cent prevalence rate of the total population. It is important to note that this figure from the census was perceived to be a conservative figure.