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Inspired by the UNCRPD, DJP Fellow Esther Mukampogazi Has Been an Advocate for Accessibility and Inclusion Since Her Early Days in College
October 3, 2022
KIGALI, Rwanda – Disability Rights Project Fellow Esther Mukampogazi was born on New Year’s Day 1987 in the Ruhango District in the Southern Province of Rwanda.
Growing up in Rwanda as a person with dwarfism, she encountered rejection, both from her family and at school. Her siblings wouldn’t acknowledge her, and the bullying at school was so intense that she dropped out of primary school. Fortunately, her mother was a strong force who made sure that Mukampogazi received an education. She gave Mukampogazi an ultimatum: If you want to be part of this family, you must go to school. Mukampogazi re-entered school with a determination to prove she was capable, meeting challenges and pushing boundaries to achieve her goal. She is the only one among her six siblings to obtain a college degree, which led them to have a newfound admiration for her.
College was pivotal for Mukampogazi. There she learned about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Adopted in 2006, the UNCRPD is an international treaty that identifies the rights of disabled people and participating countries’ obligations to promote, protect, and ensure those rights. With this new knowledge, Mukampogazi felt empowered to advocate for a more accessible campus for herself and other students, beginning with getting the shower tap lowered so that she could shower independently.
Mukampogazi began volunteering as a lead youth disability advocate at UWEZO, a youth empowerment organization based in Rwanda. There she educated youth and families about their right to safety and how to get their needs met through self-advocacy. Mukampogazi is proud of the changes she brought about both on her campus and at other schools through UWEZO, including accessible showers, bathrooms, and ramps, and new wheelchairs for students who needed them.
Mukampogazi sought an internship while at college but found that the organizations she approached could not accommodate her need for an accessible chair and table. She was encouraged to approach organizations serving persons with disabilities and landed an internship with the Rwanda Union of Little People in 2017. After completing her internship, she was asked to stay on and then recruited by the Organization of Women with Disabilities for Health Promotion and Development in Rwanda (OWDHD).
Now a project manager at this small organization, Mukampogazi is called on to use her many skills to write proposals, implement projects, compile reports, use social media to highlight the organization’s work, and keep an eye out for other needs within OWDHD. With her degree in communications and journalism from the University of Rwanda, Mukampogazi is looking forward to improving her media skills as a DJP Fellow to promote the vision of OWDHD. That vision is focused on the health and sustainable development of women with disabilities, social inclusion, empowerment through vocational training, educational leadership, entrepreneurship, and advocacy.
Mukampogazi was recently asked to share her experiences of being a person with a disability in Rwanda at a community meeting in the Musanze District of the Northern Province. She spoke about the need for increased disability awareness and for the safeguarding of children with disabilities. She was met with such enthusiasm that she delayed her return home by several hours. Attendees shared their concerns about the level of gender-based sexual violence in their community. Some also spoke of being abandoned by their husbands after giving birth to children with disabilities. Mukampogazi noted that people with disabilities (and their families) need an opportunity to express their feelings and receive assistance advocating for social inclusion and safety in their communities.
Experiences shared with other people with disabilities bring Mukampogazi joy. She fondly remembers attending The Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability’s training in the United States, learning about policy, legislation, inclusive education, recreation, development, safety/self-defense, and developing relationships with partner organizations. Especially fun was participating in adaptive sports and fitness activities.
As a lifelong learner, Mukampogazi hopes to further her education in disability rights, studying for an advanced degree at a university outside of Rwanda. She hopes to one day work for an international organization advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities. Mukampogazi is a passionate disability and gender activist fighting for the rights and development of people with disabilities. As she says about herself “I am a woman who fights for change.”
Emily Acker Quintana is a regular contributor to the Disability Justice Project. She is a former associate producer with the Visionaries public television series. @2022 DJP. All rights reserved.
News From the Global Frontlines of Disability Justice
Rwanda’s Marburg Crisis
As Rwanda confronts its first-ever Marburg virus outbreak, people with disabilities face heightened risks — not only from the virus but also from the lack of accessible health information. “Without proper accommodations, such as sign language interpreters, captions, Braille, or visual aids, the Deaf and DeafBlind community may miss crucial information about how to protect themselves, symptoms to watch for, or where to seek help in case of infection,” says Joseph Musabyimana, executive director of the Rwanda Organization of Persons with Deaf Blindness.
Capturing Vision Through Sound and Touch
Last summer, the DJP trained Indigenous activists with disabilities from the Pacific on the iPhone camera to create a documentary series on disability and climate change. With VoiceOver, the iPhone provides image descriptions for blind and low-vision filmmakers and offers other accessible features. “If you think about it, it doesn’t make sense for a blind person to use a camera,” says DJP filmmaker Ari Hazelman. “The iPhone gives you more avenues to tell your story in a more profound way as a blind person.”
Work for All
The We Can Work program equips young Rwandans with disabilities to navigate barriers to employment through education, vocational training, and soft skills development. By fostering inclusive workplaces and advocating for policy changes, the program aims to reduce poverty and promote economic independence. Participants like Alliance Ukwishaka are optimistic that the program will enable them to achieve their dreams and showcase their potential. The initiative is part of a larger effort to support 30 million disabled youth across seven African countries.
Global Recognition
Faaolo Utumapu-Utailesolo’s film “Dramatic Waves of Change” has been named a finalist in the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival. The film, completed during a Disability Justice Project workshop in Samoa, highlights the impact of climate change on people with disabilities in Kiribati. Utumapu-Utailesolo, who is blind, used an iPhone with accessibility features to create the film. “Do not leave people with disabilities behind when [you] plan, implement, and monitor programs regarding climate change and disaster,” she says. Her achievement is a testament to the power of inclusive filmmaking.
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.”