The melody of my heart:
You know who you are- the brave ones who march to your own beat, never afraid to stand out and be different.
Raising the tune as you present the orchestra.
It’s been a little harder for you because people don’t always understand you.
You’ve been poked at, laughed at and even put down because you choose to be unique.
But you never wavered and stayed true to who you are and what you want.
It hasn’t been the easiest journey, but you refused to compromise who you are..
And that’s simply amazing.
The world needs more of you and your fire-
People willing to stand up and be heard, able to speak up and be heard..
Strong enough to fight for what you want and what’s right.
We never remember the ones who followed the crowd, but we’ll never forget you and your defiant beauty in making your own way.
You’re one of the rebels, the nonconformists and the innovators.
You pave the way for the rest of us to realize it’s okay to be comfortable in our own disability, to be proudly unique and be genuinely honest.
You inspire us to see that there is greatness in all of us, if we have the courage to work for it.
Maybe your journey has been full of heartache and lonely at times..
But I’m here to tell you.. don’t you ever change.
You’re an absolutely beautiful soul with a fierce spirit, big heart and strong will.
You can’t be defeated because you’ll never be the one to give up or step aside.
Keep fighting to make the world better, your voice to be heard and your dreams realized.
We all need you there- out front, leading the way to change and showing us how to evolve.
So, when things get tough and life tries to bring you down, keep doing what you do-
Shining brightly, fighting bravely and loving passionately.
You make us all see that anything is possible if you truly believe.
Tag Archives: • institutional Barrier
The Kenyan reality! “Living with disability during a global pandemic” Author Mugambi Paul
Like everyone across Kenya, Kenyans living with disability want a high quality of life and to participate in all areas of society. And while many people with disability globally achieve this, most Kenyans with disabilities face significant challenges along the way due to factors such as social isolation, poverty levels, discrimination, and a lack of opportunities, particularly in terms of employment.
Disability in Kenya:
In Kenya according to KBS 2019 it estimates that 2.2 % are persons with disabilities.
In other words, 900.000, although it’s a highly disputed data.
As a result of genetic disorders, illnesses, accidents, ageing, or a combination of these factors, there are different types of Impairments– sensory, physical albinism, and intellectual. And there are varying degrees; from having no impairment or limitation to a complete loss of functioning.
The social model of disability
The social model of disability, as opposed to the medical model of disability, is the internationally recognized way to view and address ‘disability’. But what is it? According to disability sausage media 'The social model seeks to change society in order to accommodate people living with impairment; it does not seek to change persons with impairment to accommodate society. It supports the view that people with disability have a right to be fully participating citizens on an equal basis with others.
Does Kenya follow this model in its social justice system and service delivery?
I opine Kenya subscribes to the medical model and charity models.
For example, the medical assessment which are conducted to ascertain the type of impairment instead of conducting functional assessments.
Secondly evidence in social media platforms of suffering of many Kenyans with disabilities making appeals for basic needs, education support and assistive devices.
Thirdly according to the social assistance registry only about 34,000 persons with severe disabilities have benefited from the cash transfer programme.
How are fellow persons with disabilities in difficult circumstances and coupled with the pandemic cushioned?
Living with disability during a global pandemic
While mental health conditions and loneliness affect people from all walks of life, many people living with disability face specific and often heightened challenges when it comes to mental health and wellbeing. According to several studies which have shown some highlights the impact the pandemic had on people with disability during the ‘three waves pinpointing a range of concerns including access to information, services and support, and a rise in loneliness [IDA 2020 HI 2020 LCD 2020[.
Moreover, people with disability are more likely to have poorer general and mental health than people without disability.
During COVID-19, the threat of serious illness and the restrictions introduced to protect us have been, and still are, particularly tough for many people with disability – as well as their families and caregivers. Kenyans with disability have a right to be fully participating citizens on an equal basis with others
Moving towards ‘COVID normal’
For many people with disability, this remains a very difficult time. Throughout Kenya, no matter what restrictions are still in place, access to usual services and support and the ability to freely see family and friends remain affected to some extent.
The uncertainty and fear that COVID-19 brought into our everyday lives is also still prevalent for many, and trying to shift to ‘a COVID normal’ way of life brings certain challenges – the requirement to continue social distancing and, in some places, to wear a mask, both of which may be difficult for some people with disability.
With the pandemic continuing to impact our lives in some way or another, looking after our mental health and wellbeing is more important than ever. All in all
Inclusion of persons with disabilities in the COVID-19 response and recovery and beyond is a vital part of achieving the pledge to leave no one behind.
Is this much to ask? Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”
Ways to look after your mental health amid the coronavirus pandemic Author Mugambi Paul
There are a number of different ways that people can manage their wellbeing.
The coronavirus pandemic has had a profound impact on all facets of society. It's crucial that people take a practical approach to dealing with COVID-19.
Try to maintain perspective
While it is reasonable for people to be concerned about the outbreak of coronavirus, try to remember that medical, scientific and public health experts around the world are working hard to contain the virus, treat those affected and develop a vaccine as quickly as possible.
Find a healthy balance in relation to media coverage
Being exposed to large volumes of negative information can heighten feelings of anxiety. While it's important to stay informed, you may find it useful to limit your media intake if it is upsetting you or your family. In Kenya they say watching or listening the television news is one of the thousand ways of dyeing since most news outlets are full of depressing news.
In June 2021 Kenya has reported more than 400 cases of suicide.
Try to maintain a practical and calm approach
Widespread panic can complicate efforts to manage the outbreak effectively. Do your best to stay calm and follow official advice, particularly around observing good hygiene habits. The public service has a free number you can call 991 for advice about maintaining positive mental health during the outbreak.
Try not to make assumptions
To contribute to a sense of community wellbeing, try to remember that the coronavirus can affect anyone regardless of their nationality or ethnicity and remember that those with the disease have not done anything wrong.
Seek support
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed or stressed by news of the outbreak. We encourage people who have experienced mental health issues in the past to:
• activate your support network
• acknowledge feelings of distress
• seek professional support early if you’re having difficulties.
For those already managing a mental health issue, continue with your treatment plan and monitor for any new symptoms.
Social contact and maintaining routines can be supportive for our mental health and wellbeing. In circumstances where this is not possible, staying connected with friends and family online or by phone may assist. Beyond Blue also has a dedicated page on its forums about coping during the coronavirus outbreak.
Acknowledge feelings of distress and seek further professional support if required.
Is this much to ask? Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”
Open letter to the Newly Kenyan data office ! Author Mugambi Paul
The mentality towards the way we share our personal data online is changing. We are becoming more educated about how governments and organizations process and store the information we share. It could be argued that an air of naivety was attached to the way we would freely share sensitive information online, without questioning why we were being asked for it, or how it would be used. As we move forward on the Road to Bern and the prepare for the 2021 UN World Data Forum, it is worth exploring how data transparency is a vital, invaluable aspect to implement in an increasingly digital world. Will data b have desegregated according to disability?
Moreover,Covid-19 has drastically increased the digital transformation of a staggering number of sectors, including the healthcare and education industries.
Globally, Cloud-based software solutions are leading the forefront of data storage systems and with this in mind, investing in better data transparency now will benefit a multitude of parties in the long run, allowing a less complex, unjumbled outlook on data usage in the future.
Give detailed reasoning as to why certain data is required
In 2021, nearly 20% of all Kenyans adults expressed that they were ‘very concerned’ about how their personal data was being used. This complexity came about when Kenyans were outranged by the registrar of political parties where many found themselves in wrong political parties.
Ironically, this stat coincides with the 2020 establishment of the data office.; because of this, data office should begin to re-establish the correlation of how they used Kenyan data and the trust individuals placed in organizational data practices.
Despite having unreservedly disclosed this information in the first place, Kenyans often have the afterthought of wanting to comprehend how the data they share is being utilized. People want to understand that their data privacy is being respected and not abused, whilst also continuing to receive personalized experiences from specific services. What is not widely acknowledged is that these uniquely designed capabilities cannot be implemented and executed by governments and private sector, without the access and understanding of user data.
Putting it simply, users require a clear visualization of why they are being asked to relinquish certain information and how it is intended on being used. State and non-state actors are being urged to reduce the opacity of data strategies, in order for consumers to feel less uneasy about their data being shared to an unknown entity.
For instance, collection of data of persons with disabilities seem to be an endless tale in almost all government entities. Simple disclosures are not cutting the mustard anymore and gaining confidence from citizens, through transparent data strategies, will create a vital competitive advantage.
Gaining correct permissions from citizens will influence trust
One important factor to remember is that the information being collected belongs to real humans. Data is not a form of currency that can be freely exchanged, causing a need to be mindful of requiring data strategies to become more human-centered. Taking this into account, gaining the correct consents from citizens by allowing them the option to select what they wish to sign up for, with the possibility to opt out at any time, will allow consumers to feel involved with the retrieval of their data, and not alienated from the process. This involvement will create a layer of trust and remove the impression of being tricked into divulging sensitive information. As disability sausage media we opine the data collection for persons with disabilities has been over collected and diverging lots of unwanted information.
On average, only a small percentage of Kenyans are aware of what their data footprint consists of. Building trust with citizens through data transparency isn’t something that will magically happen overnight; it will take a dedicated amount of company time and effort, but the results will be radical. Citizens will be more likely to reward corporations with their attention and business, if they are aware of how companies and government intend to use their data.
Data transparency is revolutionizing the world around us and can be utilized to build client loyalty and in turn cement stronger, revenue enhancing bonds. Data transparency is just as important at the data harvesting itself, so businesses will greatly benefit from implementing a customer-first approach and in time, reap the rewards.
Allow consumers to have control of how their data is used
Data can pave the way to deeply personalized experiences, leaving customers in awe of the service received by a provider. The wider consumer population is becoming increasingly more aware of how impactful the disclosure of their data and personal information can be, causing a massive shift in the quality of worldwide data standards and practices. It is important to respect the wishes of consumers; if they wish for their data to remain untouched, this must be honored. One bad experience with obscured data transparency can be detrimental to a company’s reputation and is something that wants to be avoided at all costs.
Companies are beginning to understand how much value consumers place on their sensitive data and because of this, are tailoring experiences to offer appropriate benefit in return for the exchange of data. On the other hand, customers are starting to appreciate that the trade of data can allow providers to create entertaining services and life-easing experiences; neither client or company wants the clock to turn back on these budding opportunities, due to the rapid advancement in technologies.
As more and more software systems become interconnected, both internally and externally, new challenges, threats and prospects will appear, increasing the theme of ‘Big Data’ to consumers and employees alike. Big data is not necessarily the answer to the world’s problems, but it will allow us all to become better connected and create a voice for everyone. By allowing consumers to take back ownership of their data, companies will be able to convey how data sharing is forming new opportunities and values in a clear, unhindered fashion. The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”
The cry for low-income broadband subsidy for Kenyans with disabilities! Author Mugambi Paul
The cry for low-income broadband subsidy for Kenyans with disabilities!
Author Mugambi Paul
It’s been a boisterous year. If one thing has become clear during this global pandemic, it’s that keeping the economy, education, healthcare, and community support systems in motion has hinged on our ability to connect to fast, reliable internet. Internet connectivity should be seen as an essential service, and all people should be empowered to benefit from the wealth of experiences it creates like increased access to health care, remote education, and work-from-home opportunities.
Not having internet connectivity at home has prevented too many people from performing daily duties, and the impact this has had on the disability community has been even more restrictive.
This is to mean we can’t meet the sustainable development goals by living others behind.
Worse still, some government in the global south like Kenya are increasing taxes to internet services as evidenced by the July implementation of budget 2021.
moreover, Disability and poverty often go hand-in-hand [ILO 2015, UNDP 2019 HI 2015 IDA 2009.
Did the Kenyan policy makers forget this fact?
[ according to G3ict and world telecommunication many persons with disabilities that lack high-speed broadband service, internet browsing devices, and digital literacy training face intersecting disparities that only perpetuate unequal opportunity and the pattern of inaccessibility these communities historically have faced.
The digital divide faced by people with disabilities creates prevalent barriers that cause isolation and segregation from mainstream society and limit our community’s potential and we cannot waste any more time on this issue. According to the WHO 2011 15 % of the world population are persons with disabilities. O which 80 % live in the global south. Obviously, majority do not have access to internet.
This disproportion heavily hinders people with disabilities from seeking jobs and learning opportunities. Getting connected to high-speed internet both empowers and enables people with disabilities to become more independent. Even more, this gap in the digital divide is a barrier for people to complete critical everyday tasks like learning, or even high-priority activities like looking up job information online or making an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. During this period of virtual schooling, students with disabilities often lacked the proper tools and accessibility to navigate this mode of instruction.
This gap in access to education makes it all the more likely that graduating students with disabilities are even more at risk for entering a cycle of unequal treatment as they try to enter the workforce. Even for those with disabilities already in the workforce, a lack of commitment to virtual accessibility has meant that disabled employees have not been able to reap the benefits of working from home.
According to disability sausage media, most businesses still don’t factor accessibility into their products, services and communications; whether it’s providing closed captions on video calls to make sure all employees can participate to help those with hearing impairment,
explanation of non-visual access to the blind, or making websites accessible to all. It’s also about providing digital literacy education to help all people learn.
As disability sausage media we recognize the need to close the digital divide and we sensitize through advocacy for business owners, government entities and private sectors programmes to become more inclusive. We strive to increase the political and economic power of people with disabilities, and we know that it’s time for governments in the global south to do the same by supporting a long-term low-income broadband subsidy that will help guarantee the educational benefits and economic prosperity that comes with the ability to get online.
All in all, the UN needs to include internet service as a human rights issue by developing resolutions on this agenda.
declare intendent Now is the time to ensure there is equal and reliable access for all citizens of global south, especially those with disabilities and other marginalized communities. I opine Technology has so much potential to increase independence and expand community connection in the lives of people with disabilities. To make this our reality governments in the global south must take bold action and create change in providing a long-term broadband subsidy to ensure that low-income communities have the resources they need to take full advantage of the opportunities that are available on the internet.
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”
Importance of reasonable accommodation “in the eyes of a Deaf blind person why we need personal assistance!”
Becca Meyers, a deaf-blind swimmer and two-time Paralympian, has withdrawn from Team USA ahead of next month's Tokyo Paralympics after the USOPC denied her request to have a personal care assistant (PCA) with her in Japan.
Meyers, 26, was born with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. She has been deaf since birth and has progressively lost her eyesight. She is a six-time Paralympic medalist, winning three gold medals and a silver at the 2016 Rio Games, and a silver and bronze at London 2012. Meyers requires a PCA to compete at the highest level and to complete day-to-day tasks like navigating the bus system, making it to venues and eating at the dining hall while on-site at events. Meyers notified U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee officials Sunday night by email.
"Team USA and USOPC know that I am deaf and blind," Meyers told ESPN. "I need a personal care assistant who I can trust. They are claiming that because of COVID restrictions, I can't get approved for a PCA. But I really don't believe that it's just because of COVID. They chose to ignore my needs. They chose to ignore my request for my team.
"It makes me really upset. I am a person with disabilities. And I don't feel safe going to Tokyo without my PCA. I shouldn't have to fear my safety in Tokyo because I have been denied my PCA. How can an organization that prides itself on celebrating athletes with disabilities do this to an athlete with disabilities?"
The USOPC did not immediately respond to comment from ESPN, but it did address Meyers' situation in a story published by The Washington Post:
"We are dealing with unprecedented restrictions around what is possible on the ground in Tokyo. As it's been widely reported, [the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games], at the direction of the government of Japan, is not permitting any personnel other than operational essential staff with roles related to the overall execution of the games, into the country.
"This position has resulted in some athletes advising us that they will not accept a nomination to Team USA for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. We are heartbroken for athletes needing to make agonizing decisions about whether to compete if they are unable to have their typical support resources at a major international competition, but our top priority is ensuring the safety of our athletes, coaches, staff and the citizens of the host country."
At the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Meyers decided not to have a PCA. However, after a frustrating and frightening experience when she couldn't find the athletes' dining area, she vowed to never put herself in that situation again.
"In 2016, I was still trying to figure out my disabilities as a deaf-blind person," Meyers said. "I didn't really know what proper resources I needed. But then I had my crisis -- my epic meltdown. And I realized, I can't do this. I need help."
After Rio, she chose to have her mother, Maria, as her PCA to help her navigate life in and out of the pool. But on a bigger scale, she said her experience in 2016 was a wake-up call that the Paralympic swim team did not have the proper resources for athletes who are both visually and hearing impaired.
"No one on the [Team USA Paralympic] swimming staff was equipped to handle a deaf-blind person out of the pool. They're swim coaches," she said. "They didn't know how to work with us, and that's what I'm trying to change. We need certified people to work with visually- and hearing-impaired athletes so that we can succeed at the highest level, so that we can go to the biggest stage. We can't be stressed out over tasks like trying to find the dining hall or dorm rooms. Basic things. And then you expect us to go out and compete and win a medal? It's astounding to me."
Since 2017, Meyers' mother has been allowed to travel with her to international competitions as her PCA. With Maria there, Meyers won five gold medals at the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championship in 2018 and four medals and two world records at the World Para Swimming championship in 2019.
But the coronavirus pandemic has prompted restrictions on travel, spectators and nonessential workers for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. For athletes like Meyers, those restrictions mean that PCAs won't be permitted into Japan for the Paralympic Games, which are scheduled Aug. 24 through Sept. 5. As a result, Meyers did not feel safe attending the competition without her mother by her side and decided to withdraw.
"It's hard to put into words, but the first word that comes to mind is anger," Maria Meyers told ESPN.
"She was a medal contender. We were calling the USOPC and telling them that all she needs is someone to support her. We understood that maybe I wouldn't be able to go because I'm also her mother, but we asked them to give her someone. Someone designated just for her. A PCA just for her so that when she flies to Tokyo at night and needs to go to the bathroom on the airplane, someone can help her. When she needs to find her luggage and get to the Olympic Village, someone can help her. It's all those little things that they don't even think about."
The USOPC explained to Meyers and her family that the Japanese government and the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee imposed the restrictions on foreign visitors and delegations.
"Unfortunately, as to the IPC's [International Paralympic Committee] criteria for the minor chaperone accreditation, Becca does not qualify and therefore that option is not available," Rick Adams, chief of sport performance and national governing body services for the USOPC, wrote in an email to Mark Meyers, Becca's father, on June 29. "There remains no exceptions to late additions to our delegation list other than the athletes and essential operational personnel per the organizing committee and the government of Japan."
"I fully empathize with your concerns and wish we could find a way as we have in the past."
However, the Meyers family does not believe the Japanese government and organizing committee are solely responsible for blocking the PCA request.
"The USOPC has not tried to help the situation. Since February, they've known about this issue. And they haven't tried to remedy the situation at all. They just expressed that they can't accommodate me and they don't want to figure out a solution," Becca Meyers said. "They've claimed that it's the Japanese government, but we don't believe that. They said that the Japanese government isn't allowing non-essential personnel, and I respect that. But my PCA is essential."
Meyers was told that the U.S. Paralympic swim team will have one dedicated PCA for 34 athletes, and that the team's six coaches can help. Meyers and her family believe Paralympic athletes' PCAs should be designated as essential workers.
Nine U.S. Paralympic swimmers are designated as sight-impaired, but Meyers is the only one who is also deaf. Over the past few years, Meyers said her sight has deteriorated. And despite having cochlear implants that help her hear in quiet settings, she relies heavily on lip-reading. With mask mandates in full-time effect in Japan during the Games, Meyers said she knows she won't be able to communicate at all.
After submitting her withdrawal letter Sunday night, Meyers said she received a response that said the USOPC would start the process of finding her replacement.
"I'm disgusted," Meyers said. "As an athlete, I did everything correct for this organization. I won medals. I trained so hard, especially during the postponement and pandemic. I wanted to be the best athlete. I feel like I was kicked in the teeth. Like, they just don't care about anyone."
By withdrawing, Meyers said she wants to spread a message and fight for changes for the next generation of athletes with disabilities.
"This culture needs to change. I need to stand up for the younger athletes who are like me. I need to make a stand. Enough is enough," she said. "The next generation can't go to Paris 2024 feeling scared. As a disabled person, why am I still fighting for my rights in 2021? This is ridiculous. I'm doing this for future generations so that they don't have to experience the pain that I've been through."
Will Kenyans with disabilities ever be vaccinated? Author Mugambi Paul
People with disabilities are at increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19, while they are less likely to have access to health services than those without disabilities.
Another challenge is vaccine hesitancy. Social and behavior change messages need to be developed to target people with disabilities to transform vaccine hesitancy to vaccine confidence.
To ensure equitable protection from COVID-19, persons with disabilities must be included and involved in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of last mile delivery of COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
California Passes Landmark Law to Provide Reparations to Survivors of State-Sponsored Forced Sterilization
** California Passes Landmark Law to Provide Reparations to Survivors of State-Sponsored Forced Sterilization
Becomes the third state in the nation to compensate survivors of eugenics sterilization and the first to compensate
survivors of prison sterilization
Sacramento, California — On June 12, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom approved a $7.5 million budget request to provide reparations to survivors of state-sponsored forced or involuntary sterilization in California institutions between 1909-1979 and survivors of involuntary sterilizations in women's state prisons after 1979.
This makes California the third state in the nation to provide monetary compensation to survivors who were sterilized under state eugenics laws and the first state to provide reparations to survivors who were sterilized while incarcerated in California's women's prisons.
Background: Between 1909 and 1979, Californiasterilized at least 20,000 people under State law — accounting for one third of eugenics sterilizations nationwide. People with disabilities, Latinas, women, and poor people were disproportionately targeted for sterilization. Although the State repealed its eugenics law in 1979, its reproductive violence continued in State prisons into the 2010's. Most recently, sterilization, a legacy of ongoing eugenics practices in the United States was being used against immigrant women in detention centers in Georgia, making it clear that forced and involuntary sterilizations have never stopped in the U.S., nor in California.
Between 2006 and 2010, a California state audit (https://dredf.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d8372142072c8ce7f2e90e349&id=c97dec886f&e=67da078fd8) revealed at least 144 women were illegally sterilized while in California's custody. Sixty-five percent described themselves as Black, Hispanic, Mexican, or other. Additionally, according to state documents and interviews, there are at least 100 more women who were forcibly sterilized dating back to the late 1990s. To this day, many survivors still do not even know that their reproductive capacity was stolen from them.
Black, Indigenous, Latinx, incarcerated people, people with disabilities, and people living in poverty have been disproportionately targeted for eugenic sterilization. Passage of this budget request is an important step in confronting the shameful legacy of eugenics in California and a necessary rebuke to the racist, sexist, and ableist practices that perpetuate health inequities to this day.
"After 4 years of advocating for reparations, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund is heartened that California has taken a necessary first step towards ending its legacy of eugenics," said Carly A. Myers, DREDF Staff Attorney. "While no amount of money can bring justice to survivors, we are thankful California has taken responsibility for past abuses, and hopeful this marks a turning point in its treatment of people with disabilities and others who have been targeted for reproductive oppression."
"The legacy of California's eugenics laws is well-known and their repercussions continue to be felt," said Laura Jimenez, Executive Director, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice. "As reproductive justice advocates, we recognize the continued impact these state-sponsored policies have had on the dignity and rights of poor women of color who have been stripped of their ability to form the families they want."
"The California Coalition for Women Prisoners hails this groundbreaking reparations program for incarcerated women and trans people who suffered involuntary sterilization while in California prisons," said Aminah Elster, CCWP's Campaign and Policy Coordinator. "We hope this victory paves the way for other BIPOC communities to achieve additional forms of reparations in response to centuries of state sanctioned violence and abuse."
"To this day, many survivors who were sterilized while in prison still don't know that their reproductive capacities were stolen from them. With the launch of reparations, we will finally receive justice that we have fought so long for, and the healing process can truly begin," said Kelli Dillon, Founder of Back to the Basics and sterilization survivor. "It's time."
"The Sterilization and Social Justice Lab is gratified that this bill will provide long-awaited compensation to survivors of involuntary sterilization in California, and will continue to inform this process and to highlight links between past and present experiences of reproductive injustice," said Dr. Alexandra Minna Stern and Dr. Nicole Novak.
Is This the Beginning of Runaway Global Warming? Guest Author umair haque
Is This the Beginning of Runaway Global Warming?
It’s Beginning to Feel Like We’ve Finally Pushed the Planet Past its Final Tipping Point
umair haque
umair haque
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Jul 16 · 8 min read
Image Credit: Norah Bell
Something is going very, very wrong. Haywire. It’s hotter in Washington, DC and New York than it is in Lahore, Pakistan. London got more than a month’s worth of rain in a few minutes. Entire regions of Germany are flooded. California’s burning — again. Parts of Canada rivalled the hottest places on earth — and went up like tinder.
Something is very wrong. Not just wrong in a usual way, but wrong in a weird, off-the-charts way. These are “extreme events” which scientists have long feared. But they’ve even shocked scientists with how suddenly extreme and frequent they are.
Don’t take it from me.
“The far north of Europe also sweltered in record-breaking June heat, and cities in India, Pakistan and Libya have endured unusually high temperatures in recent weeks. Suburbs of Tokyo have been drenched in the heaviest rainfall since measurements began and a usual month’s worth of July rain fell on London in a day. Events that were once in 100 years are becoming commonplace. Freak weather is increasingly normal.”
Then Daniel Swain, a climate scientists, says something that sounds particularly ominous. “This is not a localised freak event, it is definitely part of a coherent global pattern.” Think about that for a moment. He’s right. None of these weird, devastating “extreme events” are unconnected. London and Germany flooded and California baked and Canada burned and Washington, DC got hotter than Lahore at exactly the same time.
They’re part of a pattern.
So what pattern is it?
It’s not just what even scientists expected from “climate change,” better called global overheating. You can find tons of evidence of scientists being literally shocked. “This is such an exceptional event that we can’t rule out the possibility that we’re experiencing heat extremes today that we only expected to come at higher levels of global warming.” “The obvious acceleration of the breakdown of our stable climate simply confirms that — when it comes to the climate emergency — we are in deep, deep shit.”
The pattern we’re seeing now is something new, something that exceeds even the worst expectations of science, something that’s genuinely shocking and disturbing in fresh ways.
I’d put it like this, in the form of a question.
What if this is the beginning of runaway global warming? It seems worth asking.
Again, don’t take it from me. “Some experts fear the recent jolts indicate the climate system may have crossed a dangerous threshold. Instead of smoothly rising temperatures and steadily increasing extremes, they are examining whether the trend may be increasingly ‘nonlinear.’”
Let me translate that. It appears as if we’ve broken something. Something really, really fundamental. And without that something, as a limiting factor, the planet is now beginning to heat much, much faster than expected, in severe, ominous, and devastating ways.
You can think about that another way, if you like. A tipping point was hit. Earlier than expected. A point at which the system races to an entirely different equilbrium, a new place of balance. Hence, the vicious speed and sudden fury with which the climate appears to be transforming. Positive feedback sets in — system changes reinforce themselves — and bang! Game over.
What might some of those tipping points and broken systems be? There are plenty of candidates. The ocean currents which circulate cool water and disperse the heat of water warmed by the sun — there’s plenty of evidence already they’re being affected badly. The melting of the polar ice caps — which again is obvious to see, and has a double hit, because ice reflects heat, but earth absorbs it. The monsoon which much of the world relies on for water and coolness. The permafrost, which traps methane and other greenhouse gases. The boreal zones — like in Canada — essentially dying off as forests. The lungs of the earth, the Amazon.
Those are just some of the planet’s major ecosystems. And the really alarming thing is that many of them have just hit tipping points, or are getting awfully close to them.
The Amazon’s the first one to hit a tipping point which we know of and can call one: it emits more carbon than it takes in, crippled, battered, left for dead. Bang. That’s one crucial planetary ecosystem dead. Did anyone much notice or even care? Did you? Are you just clueless, the way our institutions want you?
Then there’s the melting of ice sheets, whether in the Arctic, Antarctic, Greenland. Their disintegration has been swift and severe — faster, again, than predicted. Have they already hit a tipping point?
How about the ocean currents? There’s plenty of evidence, too, they’re slowing down, changing in strange ways unseen for millions of years. Tipping point?
I could go on.
The problem is this. Science can only really confirm these tipping points after they happen.
That’s not to say science isn’t valuable. It’s invaluable, because it lets us predict that these systems are fragile and shouldn’t be messed with at all.
If you don’t know when you’re going to push a system past a tipping point — a nonlinear feedback point beyond which it races to a new equilibrium, but that one might, well, destroy your civilisation and life…then you should probably stop doing what you’re doing immediately, and try to preserve the system from any further perturbation.
In other words, we should have tried to attain much, much more ambitious targets, decades ago. Not just a reduction in carbon emissions, but zero carbon. Instead of idiot billionaires going to Mars, that should have been our generation’s moonshot. Or even finding ways to restore the ice sheets. Or revivify the great forests, like the Amazon. We think of building apps as an engineering challenge. It’s not. Revivifying ecosystems, protecting ice sheets, hitting no carbon at all — those are today’s real engineering challenges.
They’re so vast nobody knows how to do them — nobody even has a clue. If I say to you, hey, how do we bring an ice sheet back to life? You’ll give me a blank stare. Elon Musk can’t tell me. Jeff Bezos can’t tell me. So why do we worship these fools as geniuses, at least plenty of us? We have literally no idea how to fix these problems — and that is what we have to try to do, because science can only confirm the worst for us, after it happens.
We need to concentrate what dwindling resources we have left as a civilization, as societies, on fixing problems we have no idea how to fix yet. Anyone know how to stop, say, Germany from flooding? Not just deal with the damage of the floods — but prevent the flood? Anyone know how to reverse a planetary tipping point?
Nobody does. And we had better try to find out, fast. We need to invest trillions upon trillions in this stuff, in the most radical way imaginable — think what “zero carbon” really means. Or else.
Or else? Well, take a look around. We’re being boiled alive. We’re being drowned. Burned. Our civilisation is literally beginning to go up in flames, flood, drought, and plague. And it looks a whole lot like this is just the beginning.
If I think back, even in my own life, it didn’t used to be like this. Washington DC and New York City weren’t remotely as hot as Lahore or New Delhi. And Lahore and New Delhi, in turn, weren’t nearly as hot as they are now. Canada wasn’t going up in flames. Europe wasn’t flooding.
That’s not “anecdotal evidence,” that’s reality. The climate really was vastly different, on a level you can now notice every day. The seasons were different. The days and nights were different. The storms were different. The rain and wind was different. It didn’t used to be like this — and it got “like this” way too fast, way faster than anyone much expected, except those once dismissed as “pessimists” and “alarmists.” But it looks like they were right. The planet appears to be overheating faster and harder than anyone much thought possible. So fast that you and I can literally now feel it over the tiny, infinitesimal geological scale of one human lifetime. Shudder.
Let me say it again, because I think this point really matters. The planet appears to be overheating so fast, so rapidly, so suddenly, that you and I can feel it in our own lifetimes. That’s incredibly fast. It’s why climate scientists are shocked. Usually, the climate changes in relatively slow ways — maybe fast for it, but compared to a human lifetimes, eons. Thousands of years, even millions.
The climate does not change within decades unless something fundamental is broken. It doesn’t change so swiftly and severely that you and I can talk about how different the seasons were just a decade or two ago — or even a few years ago — unless something has gone deeply wrong, in the most basic planetary systems. We should not be able to feel climate change as rapidly and severely as we are — within the span of a single human lifetime — unless something truly mega-catastrophic is happening.
Think about today’s young people. Even they’ll talk about the summers being cooler. About storms and floods being less frequent. About winters being colder. The extremes of weather being way, way less extreme. They’re kids. They’re not just innocent and cute and nice — they’ve only been alive for twenty or thirty years or less. That’s how fast our planet appears to be overheating. That’s incredibly, shockingly, ominously fast.
We should be incredibly worried. It is not normal. Even within the pretty catastrophic range of “normal” for climate scenarios. We’re beyond even that abnormal normal. We’re rapidly, severely outpacing our very own worst predictions for planetary climate catastrophe. So fast, so hard, that you can feel it in your memory. That you remember: it didn’t used to be like this. Just a few short years ago. Within the mayfly span of a single human lifetime. And it seems to be accelerating every year, overheating, warming, how searingly hot it is, even in what used to be some of the coldest places or times on earth, in your life, in our world.
That’s really, really bad. It shouldn’t be happening like this, “climate change.” It’s too fast, too severe, too weird, too sudden, accelerating too hard, spinning out of control. It’s way beyond us now, shocking us every season, hitting us much, much harder than most of us ever thought it could or would, catastrophic discontinuity exploding off the axes of the graphs we used to confidently show each other to prove how intelligent we were. I can barely go outside today. You?
So let me ask you again: is this now the beginning of runaway planetary overheating?
My digital access dream “Leave no one offline” Author Mugambi Paul
My digital access dream
“Leave no one offline”
Author Mugambi Paul by definition, Digital accessibility refers to the digital design and development of products, devices, services, to
be usable by everyone, especially for people who are aging and with disabilities] UNCRPD].
As a public policy scholar diversity and inclusion expert I observe most companies have started to embrace physical accessibility policies and practices for their
customers, employees and partners. Meanwhile, digital accessibility has been a relatively new and emerging
topic as an innovation strategy vs legal compliance.
to put it differently, the digital revolution has altered the way we live, learn, stay connected, and work in society. Digital skills are a necessity for all to participate in different areas of life and the attainment of such skills can lead to endless new possibilities for people to grow.
However, the digital divide between those that benefit from these digital opportunities offered by modern society and those who cannot is growing at an alarming rate. This gap has particularly impacted persons with disabilities of all ages and older people. Reasons for this digital disparity can be attributed to inaccessibility, poor digital skills and a lack of inclusive education. In order to reach a state of full inclusion, more innovation is needed to enlarge the scope of support provision and, at the same time, existing support systems should be improved to fully incorporate the human rights approach of the UNCRPD.
On the other hand, COVID-19 has significantly raised the visibility of digital technology’s impact on the workplace.
In many cases, COVID-19 exposed the lack of accessibility in solutions for remote workers, and
in other cases, executives and managers realized that the jobs they thought could never be
remote actually can be. Overall, the impact of this pandemic has further accelerated digital
transformation as evidenced by several studies. It also has “normalized” accommodation requests and the adoption of inclusive
technology [ILO 2020 HI 2020 IDA 2020[. ent years, the general awareness of digital accessibility has been on the rise, and many companies do have well-established accessibility solutions
and practices around mobility, vision, hearing, and increasingly in the area of cognitive and neurodiversity disability. I opine, One fast emerging area of disability
is mental health. The social isolation and wellbeing challenges caused by COVID-19 are creating new challenges to explore new digital solutions in this
area. With the rising tide of the global disability movement and the convergence of social justice movements and pandemic disruption, there is an opportunity
to re-think the D&I approach, including increasing the focus on digital accessibility as part of the inclusive digital transformation strategy.
As disability sausage media we concur with the slogan “Leave no one offline”.
Globally, organizations are looking for talent to create growth and increase profitability. There is an increasing awareness that people with disabilities
are an untapped pool of talent that can propel business objectives. We hope to see progressive actions from public and private sectors.
Furthermore, Investment in digital accessibility is not just for people with disabilities: as disability sausage media we believe it has a universal impact because digital accessibility, if implemented with
transformational strategy in mind, is about extreme personalization, such that each person, whether it is a customer, employee or partner can have a meaningful
and enjoyable digital experience. It is about putting the human first in the technology infrastructure, solution thinking, design and development. Since
it is a technology strategy based on not just recognizing but respecting individual differences in ability, its implementation can have the deepest impact
on people and business. As such, digital accessibility can and should become a rallying point where communities for HR, IT and all of the lines of business come together proactively,
collaboratively and holistically to address the tremendous impact digital transformation is having on the future of the workplace and marketplace.
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The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”
It’s my right to menstruate Author Mugambi Paul
More than 1 billion people worldwide are estimated
to have a disability. This includes up to 10 per cent of
children. 3 Children in low- and middle- income countries
are more likely to have disabilities than children
in higher-income countries. In many countries in the global south talking or mennationing issues of menstruation is a taboo.
It is majorly discussed in silence. Worse still women and girls with disabilities are never consulted or involved in the discussion.
Its high time our communities realize that menstruation is a natural fact of life and a monthly
occurrence for 1.8 billion girls and women of
reproductive age. Yet millions of menstruators1 across
the world are denied the right to manage their monthly
menstrual cycle in a dignified, healthy way. Girls and
women with disabilities face even greater challenges
in managing their menstruation hygienically and with
dignity. Girls and women with disabilities face a
double stigma due to both social norms around gender
and menstruation and having a disability. A 2019
systematic review of menstrual hygiene management
requirements, its barriers, and strategies for persons
with disabilities found that menstruation challenges
were a source of shame for girls and women with disabilities, with consequences including social
isolation and even forced sterilization.
On of the institional barrier faced by wome and girls with disabilities is the afordabiity. This show the policy designed by Kenyan government to provide free anitary pads in 2019 yet this policy has not been effectively been implemented. This is evident by several media outlets which have continuously reported how girls exchange sex for sanitary pads in several regions of Kenya.. You wonder what happens to girls and women with disabilities.
Furthermore, Inaccessible water, sanitation and hygiene
facilities in communities, schools, health-care facilities
and public places add to the long list of barriers
that prevent girls and women with disabilities from
participating fully in social and economic life. Lack of
disability-accessible WASH facilities is also a barrier for
girls with disabilities to attend school. Menstrual health hygiene education
and support is critical in both in- and out-of-school
programming to reach girls with disabilities. It is often
assumed that girls with disabilities do not menstruate,
so education is needed to dispel menstruation and
disability myths.
Menstruating girls and women with different types
of disabilities may have different needs. Those
with physical impairments in their upper body and
arms may have difficulties placing their sanitary
protection materials in the correct position and
washing themselves, their clothes, and the menstrual
materials. Those with vision impairments (blind or
low vision) may face challenges knowing if they have
fully cleaned themselves, and those with intellectual
and developmental impairments may need accessible
and easy-to-read materials tailored to support them to
communicate about pain and their needs and to learn
about MHH. Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”
Open letter to my Keens men with albinism in Kenya! Author Mugambi Paul
According the Kenya census 2019 The There are 9,700 people living in Kenya with albinism. The United Nations has identified the persecution of people with albinism as a worldwide human rights issue.
The history and pride of persons with albinism in Kenya will not be complete without the Heroes and heroines within the disability sector who stood by you when structures and systems were being born.
On behalf of them and myself am not demanding you establish bill board like Uncle Atwoli of the labor movement in Kenya but remember the legacy can’t be wiped away.
According to Under the Sun, a human rights coalition for people with albinism, from 2006 to 2021 more than 600 attacks on people with albinism have been
recorded in in 30 countries in Africa. This is only what is reported. Kenya has not been left behind for the quest of policy change and establishing social protection programme for persons with albinisms. Although in 20221 the nation was shocked by the budget cuts.
Where are the gallant soldiers when the budget cuts for the Albinism programme was being reduced?
Is this what our fallen heroes and heroines with disabilities expected of us?
Like many persons with albinism and families across the country right now, many are shocked and have lost all confidence in where the current budget cut is taking them. I know for those persons with albinism who were getting the goods and services this might be the only hope they had with government of Kenya on social protection.
Who will stand for this gap left when my kinsmen have been put in to the conveyor belt?
In other words, are persons with albinism put on the chopping board as we watch?
Don’t we know the exacting veracities facing majority of persons with disabilities?
Several studies and reports have demonstrated the y realities which most persons with albinism face in life experiences as they pursue social, economic, political and cultural activities [IDA 2019 UN 2015[.
as a public policy scholar, I have analyzed the meaning of this budget cut but am yet to grasp the answers!
Worst still, it had to take place during this unforgiving Covid pandemic era. Were persons with albinism involved in public participation on this budget cut process? The UNCRPD 2006 and Kenyan constitution expects organizations of persons with disabilities and their representatives to be consulted and engaged meaningfully.
Is this the blink future of the Kenyan disability sector?
After the Wamalwa policy drive for persons with albinism now persons with developmental disabilities have been advocating for a kitty too. Will this kitty come to life?
Or will the sleeping Blind and visually impaired sector arise? In Swahili they say “Ukiona cha mwenzako cha nyolewa chako kitie maji!”
Could the Kenyan treasury explain how the marginalized persons with albinism will survive in the next phase?
Or is there an intention and elaborate plan of ensuring all persons with albinism will be enrolled to the national health insurance fund and then it becomes easier for them to access sunscreen, clothes and cancer testing and treatment?
I believe the structural and systemic barriers faced by all persons with disabilities need to be relooked deeply and ensure policy makers at different levels engage widely as they produce policy measures. As disability sausage media we have learned a lot during this last year of pandemic – learning while analyzing and writing on this website. We believe we need to be prepared for a completely altered future, in low-income countries and globally. This message needs to be reflected to all organizations of persons with disabilities depending on the generation you are in. persons with disabilities need to focus on different areas:
1. The working methods and your resources: you had to completely change your way of working in 2021. These changes are abrupt and unprepared for. you need to ensure you always have the ability and resources to react and adapt.
2. Partnerships: To be effective, you need to collaborate with others – you need to invest in partnership. you should reach out to work with those creating policies in health, in preparedness, in the labor market, in education, etc., to ensure they can and will build systems and policies that are inclusive and accessible to all persons with disabilities, including those with multiple identities.
3. Intersectionality: It has been clear during this pandemic that many people with disabilities have fallen through the cracks of governments’ planning, and our own responses, because of intersectional forms of discrimination. Persons with disabilities need to build on your cooperation and interactions with other minority and disadvantaged people so that you can speak with one voice in advocating for a disability sector of equality.
4. The importance of meaningful participation: A major gap in government actions worldwide in 2020 was the lack of systematic involvement of persons with disabilities through their representative organizations. The motto of disability movement, ‘nothing about us without us’, [Oliver 1992[was not in action at the onset of this pandemic, for the most part, in national and county governments and globally. You need to advocate for better involvement. You need also to strengthen your own movement so your members can be strong, sustainable, and united in their diversity and be fully involved in all decisions that affect the lives of all persons with disabilities.
5. Preparedness: obviously, COVID-19 crisis planning did not include persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities need to be included in resilience planning at the national and county levels.
6. Looking ahead: Be aware of the global changes in the economy, and in society. All these changes will affect persons with disabilities, your members and organizations o persons with disabilities globally. We should be part of the change, so a new, more inclusive world evolves from COVID-19.
all in all, I believe top policy makers should sit down with disability representative organizations, work with them to objectively identify the problems and test the solutions, and co-design the improvements that are needed for this Albinism programme.
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The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”
How Kasandra shaped my toilet experience Author Mugambi Paul
One of the biggest things I learned in how to be independent is to learn how to navigate public restrooms as a Blind person. I can tell you many horror stories, that will get you laughing so hard that you will never view public restrooms the same again. From my experiences, I will discuss tips and tricks I learned on how to make the experience much easier.
As the title says, I often have to go Duck, Duck, GOOSE! In a public restroom. Now…let me explain. As a Blind person navigating with a cane, I will go along one wall, and bump into or around various objects. This is how Blind people navigate. This is how I explore. Now, imagine a truck stop that is full of guys in there. Yes, I have to walk down the wall where all the guys are standing, and go “Duck, Duck,” then yell GOOSE!” Yes. I am taking my medication regularly. No, I did not get in a fight, no one will pick a fight with a good-looking Blind guy. Ladies and gentleman, you just have to always find humor in every and any situation. Needless to say, I really don’t enjoy going into public restrooms. More so, the county and markets in Kenya. But…playing “Duck, Duck, GOOSE!” Is one thing I do to pass the time. Another article I will narrate how Australian rest rooms are well maintained and and you could easily take a meal inside!
Next stop…helpful tricks and tips…
How to Enter a Public Restroom
All restrooms are not built the same. That would be wishful thinking and an excellent idea! After enough times exploring, you will get a sense of the same layout. My rule of thumb is when I enter a restroom I will always start on the wall where the door opens to. What this means, is if the door opens to the right until the door bangs into the opposite wall, I start following that wall. If I start at the other wall, that wall usually guide me to the trashcan and sinks. Usually, when you enter a restroom, you want to avoid the sinks until you are ready to leave. Unless that is where you are heading to first.
Guide me in, Guide me out
Everywhere you go, your cane lets everyone know that you have vision loss. There are nice people who are willing to help you. However, sometimes too much help is too much help. If a nice person helps me in the restroom, then leaves. I am lost. So, I usually try to walk into a public restroom by myself and walk out on my own. If I was taken in a restroom and dropped off, then it is easier for me to be lost. When it is time to come out, I could come out the incorrect entrance. I can’t tell you how many times I end up in the broom closet and thinking I was waiting for my Pal outside of the restroom. Once I walked out and did not realize that I just walked out and went straight into the women’s restroom. Once the screaming started, I knew I was in trouble. Oooops. Sorry, ladies!
Check your Space
When you go into a stall and are about to do your business…Check your space. This has happened severally since no prior orientation has been done. Yes, there are times I accidently went into a stall with someone who was too lazy to lock the door. Gets pretty award pretty quick. So, what I usually do is once I am in the stall, I will make some noises and swing my cane around in an arc. Sort like I am trying to hit everyone close to me. That has saved me many times so I don’t end up locking myself in the stall with someone.
What’s my worst experience? Well, this happened shortly after I Joined Kenyatta university before the new Mugenda access8boe toilets came to be. I was in a group of friends, and this was along famous Kasandra walk heading to science zone 39 hall when I needed to go to the restroom, like really bad. So, a buddy dropped me off at the door and I ran in. I was really happy to find the stall right away! Bonus! That stall was open! Yay! So, I went in there, slammed the door and locked it. I proceeded to drop my pants and started backing up the toilet. To my chagrin, I sat down on someone’s lap! Yes. I still have nightmares about this. I jumped up so fast and tried to run out of the stall. But I forgot about the door and slammed my head into it! After I fumbled the door opened and tried to run out, I found out my pants still need to be pulled up. Finally got them back up and stumbled to the next stall. Slammed that door closed. Well, slammed it too hard, it bounced back and banged into my head again! Needless to say, I cried. The other guy cried too. Scary…So, I stayed in there long enough so this poor guy can make his exit.
Luckily, no one had our cries since the Christian union members were shouting the lungs out. I went back to Longonot my official place won out
! So, remember ladies and gentleman, always check your space!
Check your LTS!
What is LTS? Lock. Toilet paper, Seat. Yes. In that order.
1. Once you are in the stall, always doublecheck and lock your stall door. There have been times I assumed that it was locked, and when I am finished, I walked out to a wide-open door. I just can’t imagine how many people walked in. Always check!
2. Check your toilet paper roll before you drop the pants. Sighted people can just look and know. But you and I always have to check by hands. Make this a rule! I can’t tell you how many times someone would roll a toilet paper under the stall and I can’t find it. I think the record is like 4 toilet paper bundles before someone started aiming the toilet paper right at my feet.
3. Yucky. Don’t you just hate sitting on someone’s pee? Yes, always check your seat. I usually check Toilet paper and then wipe the seat down. having a buddy come in with you to check is always a bonus. Generally, when the seat is up, it is usually cleaner.
4.
Exit Strategy
Ok! You are done! Whew! Now, it is time to find the sink and wash your hands. You have two options. Follow the wall you came in, or go the opposite way and bump around all the stalls and standup urinals. I generally prefer follow the wall I came in until I find the exit door. Then, I pass the door where you will find the sinks. Once you find the sinks, you will have to hunt around for the soap. I first look around the sink, then look to the side of me, then I look where the mirror is. Yes, I leave a lot of fingerprints. Next, you need to locate towels or the blow dryer. Generally, they are near the sinks. Or near the door. Or it was on the wall you used to come and go. If you came in and found the towels or dryers, you will know when to come back to it. After that, you will find the exit door easily and you can be on your merry way! Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“excellence of making inclusion happen”
Steps to improve mental health: Author Mugambi Paul
1. Sleep
Lack of sleep, or poor-quality sleep, can contribute to poorer mental health.
Keeping to your usual sleep routine even when your daily life has been disrupted is helpful. Aim to get seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
2. Nutrition
The food we eat can have a direct impact on our mental health. Try to eat a well-balanced diet rich in vegetables and nutrients.
Where possible, avoid processed food, and those high in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates, which have been linked to poorer mental health.
3. Social connectedness
Being connected to others is important for our mental and physical well-being and can protect against anxiety and depression.
Despite the physical barriers, it’s important to find alternate ways to maintain your connections with family, friends and the community during this difficult time.
4. Exercise
Physical activity decreases anxiety, stress and depression and can be used as part of a treatment plan for people with mental illness.
Regular exercise also improves the function of your immune system and decreases inflammation.
You might need to find different ways of exercising, such as running, walking or tuning into an online class, but try to make physical activity an enjoyable and rewarding part of your daily routine while at home.
Scheduling physical activity at the end of your “work day” can help to separate work from your personal life when working from home.
5. Stress management
It’s important to be able to recognize when you’re stressed. You might have feelings of panic, a racing heart or butterflies in the stomach, for example. And then find ways to reduce this stress.
Mindfulness practices such as meditation, for example, can decrease stress and improve mental health. There are a number of breathing exercises that can also help to manage stress.
Spending time outdoors has also been shown to reduce stress. So, consider spending time in your backyard, on your balcony or deck, or if possible, take a greener route when accessing essential services.
Talking about your experiences and concerns with a trusted person can also protect your mental health.
6. Avoiding risky substance use
While it might be tempting to reach for alcohol or other drugs while you’re self-isolating, keep in mind they can trigger mental health problems, or make them worse.
The draft alcohol guidelines recommend Australians drink no more than ten standard drinks a week, and no more than four a day.
People who drink more than four standard drinks per day experience more psychological distress than those who do not.
Where to get help
A good place to start is with Beyond Blue, which offers online discussion forums.
If you feel you need additional support, you can make an appointment with your GP and discuss getting a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist, as well as telehealth and bulk billing options.
If you need immediate support and are in crisis, go to the emergency department of your local hospital, contact your local crisis assessment and treatment team (CATT) or psychiatric emergency team (PET),.
Other agencies that can help in a crisis are. Hope one day the global south nations will establish 24 seven help line!
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The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“excellence of making inclusion happen”
Did KBS murder persons with disabilities? Author Mugambi Paul
Generally speaking, Disability knows no national boundaries and cuts across every ethnic community, gender, age,
sexual orientation , religion, and socio-economic class. Discrimination, marginalization,
accessibility barriers, and other forms of exclusion put people with disabilities at a disadvantage
in accessing education, employment, healthcare, justice, or even water and sanitation. This is felt across all spheres of life.
Even when policies are robust and comprehensive in upholding the need for disability inclusion
across all international development projects, there is still often a gap between policy and
practice. in other words, Lack of data can be a large obstacle in disability-inclusive policymaking and programming. Lack of data on disability also increases marginalization and
failure to address the challenges and discrimination encountered by persons with disabilities. Without data, we cannot know where a country stands concerning
the implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities. We are not able to show where progress has been made and, equally, we are not able to show
where gaps exists. Without data, we cannot compare counties against other or different different districts with each other to see how they are
making progress on implementing rights. If persons with disabilities are not counted, then they don’t count. As a result, effective policymaking will suffer
and persons with disabilities will fall off the statistical “map.” Evidence-based data on persons with disabilities at the county, national and global levels is
instrumental in identifying the policy gaps and challenges faced by persons with disabilities that can support policymakers to address these gaps and amend
existing policies and regulations.
For example, implementation of Kenyan employment policies and the number of the unemployed persons with disabilities!
We need to break the unemployment divide.
Where are persons with disabilities to fill the vacancies as advertised?
Will government and non-state actors remove all the barriers?
A major barrier to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for persons with disabilities is a scarcity of disaggregated data on disability. This prevents the development of appropriate and effective disability-inclusive policy. The COVID
Analyzing the national frameworks of many global south it’s a gloomy picture for persons with disabilities.
Coupled with COVID-19 pandemic, which has disproportionately affected persons with disabilities. It has also blocked the flow of disability data at the moment when it is needed the most.
Studies have shown organizations of persons with disabilities and their representatives have been demanding the ministries of health to at list start disability desegregated data during Covid but it seems is a heavy barrier.
Moreover, the target of Kenya to ensure collection of disability desegregated data seem to have killed persons with disabilities as per the KBS 2009. It is on record the current 2019 figures have been disputed in the disability sector.
Fortunately, government of Kenya and some stakeholders will be soon launching a road map for 3 years which will elaborate on the inclusive disability chatter and resource mobilization for a specific disability survey.
On the other hand, Article 32 of the CRPD attempts to address these inequities by requiring bilateral and
multilateral international development agencies to be disability inclusive in the projects they fund
or implement to improve health and education outcomes or to reduce poverty. Many of these
bilateral and multilateral agencies have made commitments to disability inclusion. But policies
across the dozens of agencies are vastly uneven in the extent to which they discuss disability,
the extent to which this discussion is consistent with a social model or human rights approach to disability, and the extent to which they promote inclusion. Additionally, with the upcoming of the next global disability summit cohosted by Norway virtually.
Will the governments and the non-state actors have met the commitments they made in 2018?
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The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“Excellence of making inclusion happen”
‘Wait. You’re Blind!’ Author Mugambi Paul
People with disabilities learn to be agile as we adapt every single day to an ableist world that isn’t designed or built with us in mind—and worse, doubts that we have something meaningful to contribute. The acute limitations some of us live with require imagination and creativity that often surprise persons who are yet to be disabled who make assumptions or have grown accustomed to expecting less from people who are blind and others with different disabilities. The fact is, we’re quite adept at figuring out alternative ways of getting things done, often because we have to. We don’t have an
option! As matter-of-fact state and non-state actors in the global south do not engage persons with disabilities as major stakeholders in the policy design, planning implementation, monitoring and evaluation in a meaningfully manner.
I observe it is normally a check boxing exercise.
Most of the time they are engaged at the eleventh hour just to rubber stamp the ideas. When organizations of persons with disabilities are involved, it is often on disability-specific issues, but rarely on broader development issues that also concern persons with disabilities.
It will take more damage control to undo the already messed up disability statecraft.
For proper participation and recognition of article 4.3 of the UNCRPD accessible venues and reasonable accommodation needs to be put in place.
More so, in the Covid era we need to ensure facilitation is guaranteed. Obviously, many barriers remain, such as inaccessible venues and information, inadequate funding for reasonable accommodation, and limited knowledge about how to engage with persons with disabilities.
In other words, state and non-state actors are increasingly inviting persons with disabilities on the table but they do not engage them meaningfully [ida 2020 UNDP 2018 whiteford 2017[.
Several studies have indicated Some groups are rarely invited: persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, persons who are blind, persons with deaf blindness and women with disabilities are among the groups largely left out of consultation and decision-making processes [HI 2019 KAIH 2020].
This is true a a race without an end.
I opine, that as global south emulates policies from the west, they will one day ensure meaningful participation of persons with disabilities.
As a public policy scholar and with lived disability experience I have severally demonstrated. together with my fellow students under the Australian scholarship we were able actually to create awareness in the globe in 2018.
Do not under estimate me:
I know some people with disabilities are gifted with artistry that generates delight when it finds expression.
In the same year is when the Australian government recognized me and awarded me “the chief minister award” for my excellence work of making inclusion happen.
Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“excellence of making inclusion happen”
Do not Judge me Global south cry!
Do not judge me, this’s the pain I’ve come to share,
I must speak, ’cause lots have gone through the air,
This wound is old, but bleeds so fresh,
So let me speak, for it eats deep in my flesh.
It’s true I can’t see,
But a vision lies in me,
It’s true I can’t walk,
But I can move the world when I talk,
It’s true I can’t hear when anyone speaks,
But I can hear so clear the clock when it ticks,
It’s never as bad as you think my friend,
Just that you fail to listen, even when I recommend.
When you walk and stumble, your mind wasn’t there,
When I do the same, it’s my disability,
I spoke, you didn’t hear, your mind wasn’t there,
But when I do the same, it’s my disability.
When you read and don’t understand,
You are either stressed or faced with anxiety,
When I do same in same land,
It’s nothing else, but my disability.
When you try and fail it’s a mistake,
When I do the same it’s my disability,
When you offend, your personality is at stake,
When I do the same it’s persons with disability.
On the day of my birth, you watched me with dismay,
And wondered if all my life I’ll be that way,
Years have passed and no change is found,
Now you wish you never took that round.
Though your best you try to give in love,
Hoping and praying for a word from above,
In tears, “This child is drowned in disability,”
But you never knew, its just a unique ability.
It’s fierce now, and your heart can’t bear,
So you watch me and tag me a misfortune,
With others you are good, and lots of smiles you wear,
But in my case, you label in your mind, “MISSFORTUNE.”
You come into the class and I am ready to learn,
But you look at me and tag me a minus,
You look at all scripts and mark as they earn,
But my script, no need, D is my bonus.
You ask a question and my hand is up,
But your mind says no, so you ignore,
Now no answers will come till your class comes to a stop,
Yet in my mind the answers sleep and snore.
On the road I stand, and my need is an aid to cross,
Then you come to help, instead of a hand, you give a penny,
And before I can let you know my present cross,
Off you go just like so many.
Your taxi I board, to pay for a ride,
But with my sight, you press the accelerator,
And when you consider to stop to give the ride,
You wonder the source of your pay, and make me your monitor.
You make your quest for qualification,
And here I am with your favourite conditions,
But because you tag me disabled, and can’t soar,
My path you ignore, and a mediocre becomes your administrator.
In your bureau my duty is signed,
And to deliver, I make my goal,
But you make my job a sit-down strike assigned,
“Favour”, so you call it, trusting that’s my focal goal.
In your home I find the true love I seek,
And I've decided to make her my bride,
But “disabled” is all you hear as I speak,
So your answer is “No, She’s her father’s pride.”
I’m only blind, not without vision,
So don’t judge me,
I’m only deaf, not without a decision,
Please don’t judge me,
I’m only physical impaired, but can move through any length,
Just don’t judge me,
Look inside of me and see my strength,
And not the disabled you feel I should be.
Do not judge me.
Do not judge me when you know nothing of me,
Do not judge me when you are myopic ,
When your thought do you wrong, do not judge me,
Do not judge me when your mind is weak,
Do not judge me when I make my mistakes,
Do not judge me by my mere appearance,
Do not judge me with the guess the author makes,
Do not judge me with just a distant glance.
I’m in a fallen world with a weakness,
So with you and all who can bear witness,
So disability is not just my thing
It lives in you and I as a sure kin,
So please, do not judge me. Just, don’t judge me.
27 Good Work Traditions for a Successful Profession!
Good work habits are essential for anyone who wants to succeed in his or her job, whether it is an after school or summer job or one that is a step on
the career ladder. They increase your productivity and
job satisfaction
and help you have better relationships with your boss and coworkers. We asked experienced professionals and parents what good work habits they would tell
young adults they must have. Here is their advice:
1. Take Criticism Well
Your boss's feedback is valuable
. He isn't necessarily criticizing your performance because he dislikes you. He may be trying to help you succeed.
2. Don't Gossip
Don't contribute to the gossip mill
and remain neutral if your coworker tries to pull you into it or talks behind another colleague's back.
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3. Be a Problem Solver, Not a Complainer
If you have a complaint about something, always have ideas about how to make it better. When you turn
negativity into positive action
, you will sound professional instead of whiny.
4. Be Dependable
Always go to work when you are scheduled to be there. Only call out
if you are truly sick.
5. Be Willing to Go Into Work If Your Boss Asks
If your boss asks you to come into work when you are not scheduled, be willing to make every effort to go. You should also be cheerful about it (or pretend
to be).
6. Allow Extra Time for Everything
Always build a buffer into commuting time, as well as your timeline
for working on a project.
7. Be Prepared to Not Know Everything
You certainly won't know everything when you first start out, and you will still have more to learn even as you move up in your career.
figure
8. Put Your Phone Away While at Work
Texts and notifications that pop up on your cell phone
can be a big distraction while you are working. Check your phone only during breaks.
9. Dress for a Better Job
Dressing for the position you want lets your employer visualize you in that job.
✕
10. Ask for Help and Offer It as Well
No one, no matter how talented, can do it all alone. If you need assistance, don't be afraid to ask for it. Realize others may require it too but may hesitate
to ask, so offer a hand when you can.
11. Always Do Your Best
When your boss assigns a task, perform it to the best of your ability.
12. Be Kind
There is nothing to be gained by not being nice to others. When you are kind
, it will make others happy, and they will have goodwill toward you. Be especially kind to those who seem the most miserable. They may really need it and
it could have a positive effect on them.
13. Do More Than Is Required and Do It With a Smile and a Positive Attitude
While doing more than your boss or customers expect may get you recognition, more importantly, it will give you experience and personal satisfaction.
14. Never Say "It's Not My Job"
Be ready to pitch in when you are needed. It may involve doing something that isn't in your job description, but you will demonstrate that you are flexible.
15. Look at Problems as Opportunities, Not Challenges
When problems
arise, solving them gives you the chance to showcase your strengths and sharpen your skills.
16. Keep Personal Problems Out of the Workplace
Beware of extensively talking about your personal problems
. What you tell your coworkers could influence their perception—and your boss's—about your ability to do your job and it could make you the subject of
workplace gossip .
17. Ask Questions
If you don't understand how to do something, or how something works, get clarification. You may feel foolish asking what you consider a silly question,
but that is much better than making an avoidable mistake.
18. Always Proofread Your Work
It may take a little longer to look over your work, but it is much better to catch your
errors before someone else does.
19. Don't Forget That Work Is Work
While it is important to like what you do, you will be terribly disappointed if you expect your job to be fun and games all the time. There are things
you will need to do that won't be glamorous, but as they say, "that's why they're paying you the big bucks."
20. Make Sure You Understand Company Policies
If you don't know what they are, get the facts from someone whose job it is to know them, for example, the human resources department. If you ask a coworker
instead, he or she may give you the wrong answer, and you will bear the consequences.
21. Don't Be Afraid to Say "I Don't Know"
If someone asks you a question and you truly don't know the answer, rather than giving out misinformation, be honest. Say you aren't sure, but you will
find out. Then do it.
22. Be Organized
It is impossible to do good work if you are disorganized.
23. Prepare for Your Day
Arrive at work early and get ready for the day by anticipating what you will have to do while you are there. Do not get flustered by last minute changes.
You may have to modify your plans.
24. Never Ask a Subordinate or Colleague to Do Something You Would Not Do
Delegate tasks if you have the authority to do so but don't expect anyone to do your dirty work for you.
25. Smile, and When Things Are at Their Worst, Smile More
Smiling makes you feel better and it makes others feel better. Of course, don't smile when it is inappropriate to do so, for example when something tragic
happens.
26. Listen to Understand, Not React
When someone is talking, listen carefully
. Don't think about how you are going to respond, but instead, try to absorb what the person is telling you. You can ask questions later.
27. Stop Procrastinating
Putting off doing your work, even a project you dread, won't make it go away. You might as well get it over with.
How to create a “master” resume Author mugambi Paul
Got your resume looking perfect?
Wrong! In fact, your resume should never look perfect. It should be a living document that shifts and changes for almost every job that you apply for.
With years of work experience, you shouldn’t include every detail of your career each and every time you apply for a job – instead, you should be tailoring your resume to the organisation and the role your applying for.
That’s because employers are looking for candidates who stand out. Sending a broad resume that isn’t tailored to the organisation is a good way to not be invited in for an interview.
And the easiest way to be able to tailor your resume for each application is to create a master resume.
A master resume is simply a document that lists all your details in one place. The document should contain your skills, qualifications such as short courses you’ve completed, accomplishments, projects you’ve worked on and experiences. The document can be as long as you’d like and aims to help you create a tailored resumes depending on the position you’re applying for.
Remember, a master resume is just the skeleton for your resume. It shouldn’t be sent out to a potential employer.
Why it’s worth having a master resume
The purpose of a master resume is not to provide a blanket list of skills and achievements to send to all potential employers, in fact, it’s the opposite. By creating a document that holds all your information, you can begin to tailor your resume to individual employers, thus standing out from the crowd.
The document can also act as a catalog of your previous experiences, saving you the hassle of remembering all those little details when applying for a job.
The process of putting together a master resume not only provides you with an ongoing repository of your skills and experiences but allows you to gain insight on your career trajectory.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Collect all your past resumes
Unlike your stock-standard resume that should only be one to three pages, your goal here is to get as much as possible into this one template. You may feel like you remember everything that you need to put into the resume. But it is not uncommon to forget some of your earlier experiences, and certainly some of your accomplishments or skills gained in a particular role. By going back through your past applications and resumes, you may find a skill that you had forgotten or could once again be applicable to your job applications.
2. Revisit past positions
Have you ever taken part in something that was successful? This is the type of question that you need to ask yourself when creating your master resume. Write down all the positions you’ve held, short courses you’ve taken, things you’ve accomplished and the skills that you’ve acquired in the process. Now, when you begin writing your resume you can visit the master resume and decide which of those experiences, skills or accomplishments relate to the job you’re applying for.
3. Look at what makes you, you
Most employers don’t just want to know about you as a worker. They’re also looking at whether your values and personality is a good fit for their culture. If you volunteer, dance, sing, garden etc, make sure you list this on your master resume too. Writing down skills you have that aren’t necessarily found in the workplace will highlight your values and personality and make your resume more well-rounded.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask those close to you
Ask your friends, bosses and even co-workers what they know about you. Ask them to tell you what they think are your strongest attributes. This is be a great way to learn how potential employers may view you. Use your master resume to highlight the strengths you identify in as many of your previous roles as you can.
5. Don’t rush the process
This is a document you can use over and over again, so there’s no point rushing it. Depending on your level of experience writing a master resume could take hours. Although the process may seem arduous, it will be a document that you will use again and again throughout your career. Join us in the disability sausage YouTube channel for much mouthwatering articles
The views expressed here are for the author and do not represent any agency or organization.
Mugambi Paul is a public policy, diversity, inclusion and sustainability expert.
Australian Chief Minister Award winner
“excellence of making inclusion happen”
Should I be open about my disability? Guest author Ryan Christin
I have had several interesting conversations in the last week with DLI members about how open we should be at work about being disabled. It seems to be one of the perennial questions that we all come back to, as we experience workplace prejudice over and over.
There is no right answer, only your answer.
Being disabled is the reason many DLI members are not appointed to jobs we are suitably qualified for. Prejudice is still common in the wider community, and that means in employment. There are still many people who cannot believe that disabled people are competent and capable senior leaders.
One DLI member I was speaking with insisted that they would not talk disability, nor include any references to disability in their job application or resume, until they had been appointed. This seems like the only way they will get past the assumptions and prejudice. Many disability leaders take months or years to find a position at their level of qualification and expertise.
Other DLI members tell harrowing stories of losing their senior positions once they became open about their disability. Being open is a high risk gamble.
The paradox is that we will not change the culture of organisations until more disabled people are in senior positions. So, if we are not open about disability are we preventing necessary culture change? Perhaps.
The difficulty is, we cannot change the culture unless we are inside the organisation. So, getting appointed is a necessary first step. Perhaps we do need to do whatever it takes to get appointed, so that we can make change.
Most disabilities are not visible. That means most disability leaders can make the choice about being open about their disability with prospective employers. Other disability leaders have more visible disabilities or require adjustments to attend interviews – for them there is no choice.
For most of us, not being open about disability means becoming exhausted by concealing it. Its also important to remember that you are not personally required to fight all the disability rights battles alone and by risking your own security. Disabled people are like everyone else; we need to pay the rent and eat.
It is your decision. It is your choice how you represent yourself to the world. There is no right answer, only your answer. The DLI is here as your community, to support you in whatever choice you make.