Toll free service launched to help women with disabilities fight GBV » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 9 – Persons with Disabilities (PWD) have the same Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) needs as other people yet they often face barriers to information and services, this is according to Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Campaigner Linah Jebii.

All too often, the Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) of persons with disabilities has been overlooked by both the disability community and those working on SRH.

This leaves persons with disabilities among the most marginalized groups when it comes to SRH services yet they have the same needs for SRH services as persons without disabilities.

In fact, persons with disabilities may actually have greater needs for SRH education and care than persons without disabilities due to their increased vulnerability to abuse.

“The challenges PWD’s face when they go to our medical institutions. I am not sure we have enough medical personnel trained on the various forms of disability so that if it is sign language, how would you explain how one is feeling, and yet they are disabled?” said Jebii.

She noted that the ignorance and attitudes of society and individuals, including health-care providers, raise most of these barriers – not the disabilities themselves.

She emphasized on the need to mainstream matters disability since the requirements are totally different, as well as training of medical personnel on the various forms of disability, for ease in communication when seeking medication.

“This is a big challenge when it comes to their Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR). They have complained that they are not given the choice to choose partners for example; they are forced by their families or just neglected altogether. Rape, defilement’s during a pandemic, yet they face the challenges of explaining to someone who cannot understand,” she explained.

She was speaking during a festival dubbed Mama Siri, a toll-free service for women with disabilities that provides information on access to essential services and information on sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and confidential support from service operators.

The service launched with support from UNFPA and This-Ability Trust, is managed and coordinated by women with disabilities who serve as regional representatives in the 8 counties where the service has been rolled out (Mombasa, Kisumu, Uasin-Gishu, Kilifi, Kakamega, Kwale, Kajiado, and Nairobi).

This Ability Trust Managing Director, Lizzie Kiama, and a person with a disability called on the government to recognize needs concerning, reproductive health, including family planning and sexual health, HIV/AIDS, information, education and communication.

“What we are hearing form the women we are working, during the COVID 19 pandemic, there was a lot of isolation because of the government protocols, reduced income generation, at a higher risk of contacting COVID 19 because they were reliant on caregivers and there was also an increase in violence.”

Kiama further explained the reason behind the launch of Mama Siri technology as a way to maintain proximity and create safe spaces for the women that they work with.

“A lot of the responsibility is placed upon the woman, not the duty bearers, not community. The violations that happen are discussed within the family and the perpetrator is not prosecuted. This led to the launch of Mama Siri which loosely translates to a woman who keeps a secret, because matters of privacy and confidentiality are critical among the disability community,” said Kiama.

She explained that when women with disabilities go to healthcare centers that do not provide access i.e. sign language, braille, they have to rely on someone else to interact with their issues.

This toll-free number can be a space that we provide to maintain privacy and confidentiality for issues that women are facing.

“How we have designed the project, the toll-free number is managed by women with disabilities in the eight counties.”

Why women with disabilities?

“Because if we are targeting women with disabilities they need to know that this is a safe space, and that the person I am calling understands my experience and has lived my reality,” she said.

Since launching in April 2021, the service has processed numerous calls from women with disabilities seeking information on gender-based violence and SRH.

“By dialing 0800-000-300, it prompts you to either press 1 for Nairobi County, or 2 for Mombasa County. It allows a woman to reach out to another with a disability in her locality so that the referrals that are provided meet her needs.”

Over 5,000 calls have been recorded from women with disabilities since the inception of Mama Siri.

“The Mama Siri’s have a huge responsibility by ensuring that they provide quality services. It means they have to build a database of service providers in their region, maintain relationships with them, and be able to follow up on the cases reported,” she said.

Kiama further stated that the trust is running another project where data is collected of PWD, dubbed  HESABIKA.

A PWD can register by dialing the *548#USDD line.

“The idea behind this is disability data in Kenya is lacking. The 2009 census recorded about 3 million of PWD; in 2019 it showed a lower prevalence of about 900,000.”

This makes it difficult when trying to negotiate policies and budgets from the National and county government. HESABIKA provides an alternative for the government.”

Currently, plans are underway to expand the Mama Siri a toll-free service, to eight more counties.

“Hopefully by the end of the year, we have received over 100 applications from women with disabilities. We are going to ensure that it is not only a competitive process but a fair process so that we have a wider representation in terms of the disabilities and also the counties are applying.”

Tahida Salim from Kwale County an operator at Mama Siri said the program has equipped them with knowledge on their rights as well employment.

“When we receive calls, we proceed with a follow-up and ensure that their needs are met.”

Annette Shivachi from Kitale and also an operator echoed her sentiments and called on the government to recognize needs concerning, reproductive health, including family planning and sexual health, HIV/AIDS, information, education, and communication.

“The needs of persons with disabilities are often overlooked or neglected. Disability is everyone’s business,” she said.