People with disabilities such as autism are not getting adequate help because of a lack of an effective support system, lawmakers have observed.

Autism is a developmental disorder characterised by difficulties with social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior.

They made the comments on June 25, 2020 during a plenary sitting in which the Chamber of Deputies adopted the relevance of the draft law approving ratification of the protocol to African charter on human and peoples’ rights on the rights of persons with disabilities in Africa.

The Protocol was adopted by the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the African Union, held in Ethiopia, on January 29, 2018.

It exposed that persons with disabilities continue to experience human rights violation, systemic discrimination, social exclusion and prejudice within political social and economic spheres.

The Protocol said that State Parties to it should provide assistance to enable the realisation of the rights of people with disabilities.

They should also provide persons with disabilities with healthcare in the community.

MPs concurred with Ignatienne Nyirarukundo, Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs at the Ministry of Local Government that the policy on the protection of the rights of people with disabilities is old as it was established in 2003, calling for its urgent revision.

"The categories of people with disabilities are not regularly revised. This situation makes it a challenge for some people with disabilities’ access to needed support,” MP Elisabeth Mukamana said.

Nyirarukundo said that the policy was at the final stages of review so that it responds to current realities, adding that the review of categories of people with disabilities is necessary.

"There are gradually more people who suffer from disabilities, including children who are born with it. Therefore, it is good that the categories be updated every year so that no one is denied the help they deserve,” she said.

Children with mental disabilities

MP John Ruku-Rwabyoma said that the rights of the people with disabilities should be practically respected.

"There are children who are born with autism, and their fathers leave the mothers who helplessly live with those children with those autistic children,” he said.

"We should look for a support system for autistic children so that they are appropriately taken care of such as through healthcare, and socialization with other children instead of being hidden in homes,” he pointed out.

The Minister of State acknowledged that children with mental disabilities are not getting enough support as they are still being hidden from the public’s view, or taken to a caring centre.

"But when you look at the support such children receive from the centre, you realise that it is being done as charity, not as a responsibility that must be assumed,” she said adding that more needs to be done to improve the care given to the children with mental disabilities.   

Need for sign language education

MP Benoit Senani said that people with hearing and speech impairment are not able to express themselves freely because the community does not understand sign language that enables their communication.

"When the people with hearing or speech impairment go to do shopping at markets, they face difficulties interacting with traders. They are also unable to interact with leaders in case they seek services,” he said.

"There should be community education in sign language so that those people can make their voice heard, and interact effectively with the society,” he recommended.  

Commenting on sign language concern, Nyirarukundo said that a sign language dictionary was still being compiled

A 2018/2019 activity report by the National Commission for Human Rights revealed that people with disabilities at care centres which were assessed were facing a lack of access to special medical services such as prostheses and orthoses because they are not covered under the community-based health insurance scheme – Mutuelle de Santé.

Prosthesis is an artificial body part that is used to replace the damaged part of the body, while an orthosis is a device made to support an injured or abnormally formed part of the body or assist one to move it easily.