Challenging Social Norms on Disability: Making Sexual and Reproductive Health Accessible to People with Disabilities

Cynthia Bauer, Founder and Executive Director of Kupenda for the Children, a non-profit organization that aims to transform harmful beliefs surrounding disability, emphasizes the importance of addressing the social norms that perpetuate these challenges. Kupenda's mission is to transform harmful beliefs connected to disability to those that improve lives. The organization has developed effective ways to talk to people about disability and counter myths and misinformation through workshops that focus on facilitation skills, asking questions, and encouraging participants to share their personal experiences. These workshops have been conducted in various settings, including traditional healers' lands, and have shown positive results in changing people's perceptions about disability. Including people with disabilities in the workshops is a crucial aspect of Kupenda's approach. Cynthia notes that having a person with a disability share their testimony is one of the most effective parts of the workshop, as it humanizes people with disabilities and challenges societal perceptions. The organization has found that societal perception is a bigger barrier for people with disabilities than physical barriers, and that addressing this issue is essential for improving their access to SRH information and services. People with disabilities face various SRH issues, including being viewed as asexual and not being provided with access to information about SRH. Cynthia shares a disturbing example of a child with intellectual or behavioral disabilities who was impregnated without understanding how it happened. This highlights the need for accessible SRH information and services for people with disabilities. The medical model of disability views disability as a medical issue, whereas the social model emphasizes the need for society to change to provide equal access for people with disabilities. Cynthia emphasizes that the social model is essential for addressing the SRH needs of people with disabilities, as it recognizes that societal perceptions and attitudes are a significant barrier to their access to SRH information and services. Common themes among people with various types of disabilities include being underestimated, discriminated against, and suffering from self-esteem issues due to how the world views them. Cynthia notes that these themes are universal, regardless of the type of disability, and that addressing these issues is essential for improving the SRH outcomes of people with disabilities. In conclusion, challenging social norms on disability is crucial for making SRH accessible to people with disabilities. Kupenda's approach, which emphasizes the importance of addressing societal perceptions and including people with disabilities in workshops, has shown positive results in changing people's attitudes towards disability. By addressing the SRH needs of people with disabilities, we can improve their access to information and services, and ultimately, their overall well-being.