Recently during the ongoing campaigns ahead of the general elections slated for this month, a pregnant woman named Marie Goreth Kamugisha, attended one of the rallies by the RPF candidate, President Paul Kagame. She had been advised by her family to not go because she was due in two weeks. She agreed, but later decided it may be her only chance to see in person the candidate she supports, so she went. Her family was worried because hundreds of thousands of people were to attend the rally and that the campaign was taking place under the scorching sun. Nevertheless, she went. Kamugisha had a right to go after all. She is a voter, and so were the senior citizens, and everyone who required accessibility. Good enough, there were designated spaces for all these people, as well as sign language interpreters who ensured that everyone who went to the campaign made the most of their time there. ALSO READ: Why public places must have breastfeeding areas Because of the availability of these amenities, Kamugisha, when she went into labour rather unexpected, there were healthcare practitioners on hand to help her. They took care of her until she was taken to the hospital and delivered a bouncing baby boy. Without imagining worst case scenarios of what would happen, no one has to miss important events in their life because the hosts couldn't accommodate them. Not being able to accommodate should never be an excuse to exclude people. ALSO READ: How newly set up ECD is impacting lives in Rugerero Model Village Every public space and event should be able to accommodate disabled people, pregnant women, people with children, the elderly, and others. It can be in the form of space allocated, supplies provided, or even being accessible. Inclusion should not just be in words, but in practice too. This is something we can all do in our capacity, and not something we should delegate only to political parties or the government.
