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Kenyans with Disabilities to Influence Constitution
By Andrea Shettle, MSW | August 14, 2008
Kenya is writing a new constitution–and people with disabilities are being encouraged to involve themselves with the resulting dialogue, the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation has reported ("Musyoka calls for all-inclusive constitution").
According to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, a three-day workshop was recently held to solicit the views of people with disabilities in Kenya regarding the nation’s new constitution. Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has indicated that the government wishes to harmonize Kenya law and the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The CRPD is the first legally-binding international agreement to protect the human rights of people with disabilities. The CRPD covers a wide range of human rights, such as the right to accessible education, health services, transportation, and other public services; the right to marry and divorce and share in child custody; the right to make one’s own decisions; and more. Kenya is one of 34 countries that has ratified the CRPD. Another 96 countries have officially declared interest in ratifying the CRPD in the future. A country must choose to ratify the treaty before they are legally bound to obey it.
Read more about Kenya and its constitution in the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation at: http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=51233
Find out if your country has signed or ratified the CRPD at http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=12&pid=166
Learn more about the CRPD and Optional Protocol by skimming the RatifyNow FAQ.
Learn how you can become involved with the global campaign to promote the ratification and implementation of the CRPD and Optional Protocol in your country and elsewhere.
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