Gloria’s journey towards disability inclusive SRHR for all

She lost her hearing when she was 13 years old and was raised by her mother for who she is grateful to take such good care of her. She is trained as a peer-educator, is a volunteer with the Uganda federation of the hard of hearing and a secretary to the Disability Inclusion U.S Alumni group that advocate for disability inclusion. Additionally, she is involved in the Make Way program in the Uganda youth panel and the regional youth with disabilities council initiated by the Liliane Fonds. This provides her with a platform to share her ideas about disability inclusion in SRHR and express herself. She notices that her confidence grew to speak for herself and that she is determined to amplify the voices of other minoritized youth that are left behind in SRHR.

What do you do as a youth panel member and youth advocate?

As a youth panel member, I advocate for removing barriers to SRHR for minoritized young people and amplify the voices of these young people not part of the panels and council. We do so by holding workshops with these young people, engaging them in podcasts and radio talk shows and social media campaigns. During these out-reach activities, we create safe spaces for young people to share their experiences and ideas about sexual and reproductive health and rights. As a youth panel of the Make Way program in Uganda, we have been able to bring issues to policy makers. Additionally, we advise the organisations in the Make Way program on meaningful youth engagement and participation.

What is the biggest barrier for young people with a disability in Uganda in accessing SRHR?

The high levels of illiteracy combined with living in poverty, make that people with disabilities remain uneducated and unemployed. This influences their access to SRH information and services, but also whether these services and information are available to them, if they are accepted and the quality of the services and information that is delivered.

What are the challenges that you personally face in accessing SRHR services and information?

The biggest challenge I face as a young person with a hearing impairment, is the inaccessibility in terms of communication. Some of the SRHR materials on social media for example, do not have captions. This makes it hard for me and other young people with a hearing impairment to catch up with this information. Additionally, health care centers and other SRH services do not have sign language interpretation or other inclusive communication means to communicate with people with a hearing impairment.

What did you learn from being part of the regional youth with disabilities council?

Being part of this council provided me with a regional platform to share my knowledge and experience and gave me the opportunity to meaningfully be engaged in advocacy work for people with disabilities. Furthermore, I learned new things and unlearned certain things and beliefs from connection with other advocates in the region regarding SRHR. Additionally, we learn about each other’s situations and context and advise each other on how, for example, risks can be mitigated.

As a youth advocate yourself, what message do you want to pass on to other young people and what is your dream for the future?

Advocacy begins with us. It is important that young people with a disability now that disability is not the same as inability. They should stand up and speak for themselves before anyone else does on their behalf. I would like to become an influential person in the disability movement so I can amplify the voice of other people with disabilities to policy makers. I want to take on a bigger responsibility in terms of advocating for inclusion, diversity and intersectionality beyond and as part of disability inclusion.