News
A Voice for Rwandans with Psychosocial Disabilities
Play audio version
Meet DJP Fellow Rose Umutesi
October 23, 2021
Rose Umutesi, like many other Rwandans, was forever impacted by the 1994 genocide. “We had a lot of challenges. Girls and women were left, some were amputated. Others were left behind, alone … It came to our mind that we can gather together …” she says. “So, we would sit under trees and discuss our issues, sharing…” According to Umutesi, many Rwandans developed post-traumatic stress disorder and other types of mental health conditions because of the genocide, herself included. The genocide led her to psychosocial disability rights advocacy.
Once you get mental illness, it means you are finished in the community. They don’t consider any more like a person who is useful to families.
Rose Umutesi
Forty-two-year-old Rose Umutesi was born and raised in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. She received an undergraduate degree in leadership and hospitality management at Akilah Institute in 2019. She co-founded the National Organization of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry Rwanda (NOUSPR) in 2005, hoping to disrupt the stigmatization of and discrimination against people with psychosocial disabilities in Rwandan communities. “Once you get mental illness, it means you are finished in the community. They don’t consider any more like a person who is useful to the families,” says Umutesi.
Today, she helps form district groups for people with psychosocial disabilities in Rwanda. NOUSPR has 19 district branches across the country, with 45 patient experts who assist members of the organization. She contends there is a lot more work to be done, but she maintains a hopeful outlook. “What we should do is to love what we are doing, love what you are doing and focus on it. I know things will be … fully done,” she says. “And, what we need most is to see the community respecting and protecting the life of people with psychosocial disability.”
In 2018, Umutesi introduced a draft of the African Disability Protocol, a human rights treaty that addresses discrimination against people with disabilities in Africa, to the Rwandan Ministry of Justice. A draft was ratified in 2019 and signed this year. Umutesi was elated: “…When they signed it, I was almost jumping and saying ‘Wow! At least I have done something to my country. At least I have done something to my people, to gain their right.’”
Michelle Faulkner is a staff editor at the Disability Justice Project.
News From the Global Frontlines of Disability Justice
Advancing Democracy
Rwanda has made significant progress in making its elections more accessible, highlighted by the July 15 general elections where notable accommodations were provided. This was a major step forward in disabled Rwandans’ quest for equal rights and participation. “You cannot imagine how happy I am, for I have voted by myself and privately as others do accessibly,” says Jean Marie Vianney Mukeshimana, who used a Braille voting slate for the first time. “Voting is a deeply emotional and meaningful experience for a person with any disability in Rwanda, reflecting a blend of pride, empowerment, and hope.”
Barriers to the Ballot
Despite legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act, barriers at the polls still hinder — and often prevent — people with disabilities from voting. New restrictive laws in some states, such as criminalizing assistance with voting, exacerbate these issues. Advocacy groups continue to fight for improved accessibility and increased voter turnout among disabled individuals, emphasizing the need for multiple voting options to accommodate diverse needs. ““Of course, we want to vote,” says Claire Stanley with the American Council of the Blind, “but if you can’t, you can’t.”
Democracy Denied
In 2024, a record number of voters worldwide will head to the polls, but many disabled individuals still face significant barriers. In India, inaccessible electronic voting machines and polling stations hinder the ability of disabled voters to cast their ballots independently. Despite legal protections and efforts to improve accessibility, systemic issues continue to prevent many from fully participating in the world’s largest democracy. “All across India, the perception of having made a place accessible,” says Vaishnavi Jayakumar of Disability Rights Alliance, “is to put a decent ramp at the entrance and some form of quasi-accessible toilet.”
Triumph Over Despair
DJP Fellow Esther Suubi shares her journey of finding purpose in supporting others with psychosocial disabilities. She explores the transformative power of peer support and her evolution to becoming an advocate for mental health. “Whenever I see people back on their feet and thriving, they encourage me to continue supporting others so that I don’t leave anyone behind,” she says. “It is a process that is sometimes challenging, but it also helps me to learn, unlearn, and relearn new ways that I can support someone – and myself.”
‘Our Vote Matters’
As Rwanda prepares for its presidential elections, voices like Daniel Mushimiyimana’s have a powerful message: every vote counts, including those of citizens with disabilities. Despite legal frameworks like the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, challenges persist in translating these into practical, accessible voting experiences for over 446,453 Rwandans with disabilities. To cast a vote, blind people need to take a sighted relative to read the ballot. An electoral committee member must be present, violating the blind person’s voting privacy. “We want that to change in these coming elections,” says Mushimiyimana.
Voices Unsilenced
Often dismissed as a personal concern, mental health is a societal issue, according to Srijana KC, who works as a psychosocial counselor for the Nepali organization KOSHISH. KC’s own history includes a seizure disorder, which resulted in mental health challenges. She faced prejudice in both educational settings and the workplace, which pushed her towards becoming a street vendor to afford her medications. Now with KOSHISH, she coordinates peer support gatherings in different parts of Nepal. “It is crucial to instill hope in society, recognizing that individuals with psychosocial disabilities can significantly contribute,” she says.