Terms of Reference of Consultancy at Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya

Background to accessibility audit: The Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK) in partnership with Christoffel Blinden Mission (CBM) is carrying out accessibility assessments to find out the level of inclusiveness of private sector and different learning institutions that will be engaged in the implementation of the i2i project.  
 
 These partners are relevant to the innovation to inclusion project and are expected to play a pivotal role in enhancing access to soft and technical skills for men and women with disability which in turn will enhance their opportunities to access work and employment. Accessibility assessments will be undertaken in 14 VTIs / TVETS and 30 private businesses within the 2nd and 3nd quarter of 2020
 
The assessments will find out the standards for accessibility and inclusiveness of these institutions to persons with disability.   As such, APDK/CBM has constituted a team that will conduct the assessments. The team constitutes of CBM technical staff, APDK rehabilitation team, Plan International, National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPWD) and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).   
 
Purpose: The purpose of the accessibility assessment is to provide a platform for an ongoing dialogue and reflection on the ease of use, perception and understanding of facilities at the respective institutions which include and not limited to build environment, a service, or a facility. This is in line with CBM’s 7 commitments to enhance accessibility for persons with disability. The project considers accessibility assessments as the first step in ensuring reasonable adjustments are made to policies, practices, procedures or premises which may create a barrier to people with disabilities.  
 
Objective of the accessibility assessment:

• Assess whether the working or learning environment is safe and accessible for people with disabilities, particularly women with disabilities;
• Assess whether the curriculums, human resource policies, procedures and practices prevent discrimination on the basis of disability and gender, and;
• Set out concrete steps and actions to be taken to improve the working conditions or environment for people with disabilities, particularly women with disabilities.

 
Background to disability

The United Nation Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities [UNCRPD] defines disability as the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders full and effective participation in society on equal basis with others.  
 
It further states that persons with disabilities include those have long term physical mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. Further it is important to observe that persons with disabilities face physical, social, economic and attitudinal [stigmatization and discrimination] barriers that exclude them from participating fully and effectively as equal members of society, they are disproportionately represented among the world’s poorest, and lack equal access to basic resources such as education, employment, healthcare and social and legal support systems, as well as have a higher rate of mortality. In spite of this situation, disability has remained largely invisible in the mainstream development agenda and its processes. Persons with disabilities in Kenya also lives in a vicious cycle of poverty due to stigmatization, limited education opportunities, inadequate access to economics opportunities and access to the labour market. The government of Kenya has adopted a number of laws and policies pertaining to persons with disabilities. The Constitution as the supreme law of the land categorically provides under Article 54 for persons with disabilities. It states that a person with any disability is entitled;

• To be treated with dignity and respect and to be addressed and referred to in a manner that is not demeaning
• To access educational institutions and facilities for persons with disabilities that are integrated into society to the extent compatible with the interests of the persons;
• To reasonable access to all places, public transport and information;

The constitution also provides that the state should ensure the progressive implementation of the principle that at least five percent of the members of the public in elective and appointive bodies are persons with disabilities. The Persons with Disabilities Act is a comprehensive law covering rights rehabilitation and equal opportunities for people with disabilities.

The accessibility tool The accessibility assessment tool was developed based on CBM’s many years of disability inclusive programming. The tool was developed with support and input from many disability organizations and stakeholders around the globe and particularly International Center on Evidence on Disability (UK).  The audit will focus on the following seven areas as far as accessibility and ease of movement and communication of persons with disability. These areas include:

• Offices and premises
• Information and Communication Technologies(ICT)
• Inclusive Procurement process
• Training and capacity development
• Non-discrimination and equality
• Meetings and events
• Inclusive employment Accessibility assessment schedule:
• The accessibility assessments are expected to last 6 months starting March to September, 2020 and we will be supported by the National Council of Persons with Disability (NCPWD) and the others include: APDK, CBM, NCA, plan International, Andy, Kenya Union for the Blind (KUB), Deaf Empowerment Kenya (DEK),

DELIVERABLES 

• Institution reports that present a reflection of findings based on the seven CBM commitments to accessibility. 
• The findings and recommendation from the assessments will demonstrate to learning institutions and companies the relevance of being inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.  
• The report will also recommend to CBM/APDK on immediate intervention to be provided to companies and learning institutions to become inclusive and accessible.   

QUALIFICATIONS
 
Bachelors of Social Science or Human Development, Bachelor of Education or curriculum development, Degree on Public Health a Master’s degree will be an added advantage. 

The candidate must have a background on disability inclusion and programming.