Braille and sign language to be mainstreamed in Government

The Commission has received the commitment of the national government to mainstream sign language and brailling of information materials across ministries, departments and agencies. The move follows a successful meeting between the Commission and Ministry of Labour and social services in which the Chairperson Dr. Joyce Mutinda and Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Ukur Yattani struck the deal.

Article 54 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 states that a person with any disability is entitled to use sign language, braille or other appropriate means of communication and to access materials and devices to overcome constraints arising from the person’s disability.

The principal secretary Nelson Marwa acknowledged the need to have all issues of persons with disabilities to be mainstreamed across government and agreed to liaise with the ministry of public service to commence the hiring of sign language interpreters in every ministry with immediate effect.

During the talks, the Commission also shared with the ministry a report on the audit of cash transfer programmes and raised critical issues of concern for the ministry to address among them inadequate training about the program, insufficient budget for administration function and poor monitoring of the Cash Transfer programme. The Cabinet secretary Ukur Yattani directed ministry officials to work closely with the Commission to ensure policies, laws, administrative rules and guidelines integrate the principles of equality and inclusion.