A child born with mental disabilities faces a very grim future. Since the child in almost all cases does not know what is happening to it, it is left to the parents, caregivers, families, communities and the state to protect that child and make sure that it has a chance to lead the best possible life in spite of the conditions he or she is born with. Sadly, such protection and help in development is missing. The persons with mental disabilities face enormous problems and their rights in almost all fields of human endeavour are trampled upon. In countries such as Kenya, the laws of the country in some instances are even hostile to persons with mental disabilities. In such circumstances, Kenya Society for the Mentally Handicapped has clearly identified the following areas where you as a donor can really help in uplifting lives of one of the most neglected sections of the Kenyan society.
- Articulate for the legal recognition of supported decision-making and consent exercised by persons with intellectual disabilities to protect their interests, reduce social injustices and human rights violations.
- Rescue and provision of basic rights and home-based interventions to the rejected, abandoned, neglected, caged, chained and isolated persons with intellectual disabilities.
- Provide supported access to human rights and social justice by persons with intellectual disabilities in access and exercising of their individual legal capacities.
- Advocate for inclusive legal and institutional policy frameworks, which are sensitive to the special needs of persons with intellectual disabilities.
- Mainstream the special needs of persons with intellectual disabilities in development, and in particular, government programs in areas of social, health, education, rehabilitation, training, HIV/AIDS etc
- Provide the very essential supported access to law enforcement agents and supported participation in judicial procedures.
