Africa: Can You Be Served When You're Not Counted? Disability Advocates Demand a Seat at the SRHR Table

Mombasa, Kenya - At the MenEngage Africa SRHR Progress 2026 Symposium, disability advocates are pushing for greater inclusion in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Dr. Sarah Musau, Executive Director of Gifted Community Center, posed the question: Are persons with disabilities truly seen, heard, and served? The consequences of exclusion can be severe, according to Dr. Michael Munene, Executive Director of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.

He challenged participants to consider what truly defines an inclusive health system, moving beyond metrics like the number of hospitals or implemented programs. He emphasized the importance of reaching historically excluded individuals, such as those with disabilities, in accessing maternal healthcare and sexual and reproductive health information.

Approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide, or about one in six, live with a disability, with an estimated 80 million people, or 10-15% of Africa's population, falling into this category. Despite representing the world's largest minority, persons with disabilities remain among the least likely to access equitable health services.

The barriers to their inclusion are not inherent to disability itself, but rather created by societal and health system barriers, including inaccessible facilities, inaccessible information, discrimination, and communication difficulties. Disability inclusion means more than just physical accessibility; it requires equal rights, opportunities, and accessible services for all types of disabilities.

Structural barriers persist in basic infrastructure, accessible toilets, and physical access to buildings and services. Language access is particularly challenging for the deaf community, especially those in rural areas without access to formal sign language education. Data gaps also pose a significant obstacle, as disability-disaggregated data is crucial for designing effective programs and policies.

Women and girls with disabilities face the most acute barriers, often compounded by community stigma and attitudes. Inclusion must be measured by whether people can actually utilize services and exercise the rights promised by policies, not simply by the existence of those policies.