Voice for Wetlands and Water

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VOICES FOR WETLANDS AND WATER: CASE STUDIES ON WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT & WASH IN KENYA

Leave No One Behind

A Helping Hand for Women with Disabilities

Valentine Keraita, Chairlady, LAWADAV advocates for holistic social inclusion on water issues

Access to water is a challenge for women living with disabilities. In urban areas, they not only have to buy water but also pay someone to carry it for them. In semi-arid areas, boreholes are often way out of reach for these women. However, these issues do not come to the fore because these women are marginalised not just by society, but by men living with disabilities within groups for special needs persons. Hence, the United Disabled Persons of Kenya (UDPK) and Watershed helped the women of Laikipia to establish LAWADAV – Laikipia Women with Disability Amplified Voices. Through Kenya Water for Health Organisation (KWAHO), peer advisors were trained in lobbying and advocacy and gaps in information access identified. From Watershed’s support, LAWADAV lobbied the County Government to ensure venues for public participation are disability friendly, that their representatives must be facilitated to

attend these forums and that a sign interpreter must be present. These issues are captured in the County Public Participation Bill. Today, women with disabilities are represented on the Laikipia County Water and NAWASCO boards and almost every other government board in the County. Other than lobbying and advocacy, the Watershed-UDPK partnership trained their leaders to train and encourage others. As a result, they have formed three women groups for persons living with disabilities. One group does table banking to access infrastructure. Four women have so far bought water tanks. Participation of women with disabilities in water management is bearing fruit here. A case in point is Matanya centre in Nanyuki where a water kiosk was placed next to the home of a woman living with disability - Valentine Kerait a

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