Empowering Community Networks for Inclusive Access: Insights from the KICTANET Workshop

On March 15th, 2024, the Tanda Community Network, along with several stakeholder organizations, attended an important conference organized by KICTANet (Kenya ICT Action Network) at the Ngong Hills Hotel in Nairobi. The main objective of the conference was to promote collaboration and share thoughts on how to make Community Networks more accessible for individuals with disabilities.

The main goal of the conference was to focus on the urgent necessity of improving ICT accessibility for individuals with disabilities in Kenya. Participants explored a variety of subjects, such as grasping the concept of disability, investigating accessibility measures, and analyzing the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern the inclusion of individuals with disabilities.

Moreover, KICTANet had conducted a review of government websites to assess the level of accessibility features designed for people with disabilities. This examination uncovered a notable disparity between the creation of policies and their execution..

Significant laws addressed were the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2003, the Persons with Disabilities Act No. 14 of 2023, and the Persons with Disabilities Amendment Bill of 2023. Additionally, participants examined government laws including the Kenya Access to Information Act of 2016, the Kenya Information and Communications Act (Amendment) of 2013, and the Kenya Information and Communications Act (Amendment) Bill of 2023.

During the conference, stakeholders and present representatives of Community Networks had productive conversations, exchanging ideas about the obstacles that are preventing the complete participation of individuals with disabilities in Community Networks, such as finances, cultural and language barriers, technical expertise and infrastructure. Deliberations focused intensively on ways to overcome these challenges, stressing the importance of creating a supportive environment that allows all individuals to participate, regardless of their abilities.

A significant result of the workshop was the agreement by all attendees to create a detailed plan to help incorporate individuals with disabilities into Community Networks. Community Networks were also urged to support initiatives that promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities, recognizing their valuable contributions to networks.