Nouspr report

FOREWORD
Dear Members, Partners and Friends,
It is with my sincere gratitude that I present to you this report about
the field research on safeguarding the rights of people with
psychosocial disabilities in Rwanda; an exercise which NOUSPR
has been engaged in for the first time and has successfully
completed!
NOUSPR has been involved in awareness raising and advocacy for the human rights of
persons with psychosocial disabilities for quite some time. We organise members in groups
and support them to regain their place and status in their communities. We also advocate
for psychosocial disability to be included in the categories of disabilities in Rwanda.
The strength of our approach is that those on the front line fighting for equality and justice
for users/survivors are those who have themselves been largely invisible within society,
those who are refused a say, denied their basic human rights, have no access to education,
no right to employment, to health, no right to vote – no rights at all!
This report is a product of those who were chained to poles, abandoned in psychiatric
facilities by their relatives, disconnected from their families and pushed to the periphery of
their normal everyday life. These are the same people who have broken their silence and
gone public with powerful testimonies, with strong cases and evidence of human rights
violations and with high sprit they suggest how this situation should be reversed. I am
enormously grateful to them!
NOUSPR is grateful to The Government of Rwanda that has, for the past few years,
provided a levelled ground for marginalised groups to easily articulate their human rights
issues. The signing of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability (CRPD)
and its protocol, amending of The Constitution of The Republic of Rwanda to accommodate
the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), the enactment of the law that
protects people with disabilities in general and the eight ministerial orders are just a few of
the many examples that shows that our Government is a Government that truly cares about
the needs of its citizens.
We recognise the invaluable contribution of Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and Sarah
Challoner in particular, who financed this research and using her position as Disability
Programme Manager she has been exceptionally good to the Disabled Persons
Organisations (DPOs) in Rwanda. Since NOUSPR’s inception her support has pushed
Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities thus far.
We are thankful to Mr. David Beck, Chief Executive of Action For Street Kids (ASK) who
generously contributed towards the preparations of this research, and the Open Society
Foundation (O.S.F) which earlier funded NOUSPR’s awareness raising and advocacy
project from which the need for this research was identified.
I would like to single out Mr. David McCabe, a VSO volunteer who has been our technical
advisor since September 2011 and who leaves us this September 2012, not only has he
conceived, designed, directed this research and produced this report but has also been the
self-starter of NOUSPR’s daily activities. His secret of getting things done has won him an
irreplaceable position in both the organisation and in the hearts of its members.
Though inevitably there will continue to be more ideas about the best way of progressing
safeguarding the human rights of people with psychosocial disabilities, I believe that this
report represents such an outcome that readers will understand the issue of psychosocial

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disability better and will gain the knowledge that the life of people with psychosocial
disabilities needs no replacement but support instead and that it should be provided now!
It has been a great privilege for me to chair this exercise, and I look forward to seeing our
recommendations being considered in various programs.
BADEGE Sam
Director NOUSPR

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CONTENTS:

PART 1.........INTRODUCTION

PART 2.........WHAT IS PSYCHOSOCIAL DISABILITY? - A WIDER PERSPECTIVE

PART 3.........METHODOLOGY, FRAMEWORK, DESIGN AND SCOPE OF THIS REPORT

PART 4........THE INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS

PART 5.....’OUR OWN VOICE’ – FOCUS GROUP TESTIMONIES

PART 6......OTHER ORGANISATIONS’ PERSPECTIVES

PART 7......COMMENTS/RECOMMENDATIONS

PART 8……CONCLUSION

ABBREVIATIONS

NOUSPR:: National Organisation of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry in Rwanda

VSO ; Volontary Service Overseas

OSF : Open Society Foundation

CRPD : Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

NCPD : National Council of Persons with Disabilities

ADD :

Ask : Action for Street Kids

DPOs : Disable Persons Organisations

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P
ART 1: INTRODUCTION (NOUSPR) established in 2007 by a
group of people with psychosocial
‘Persons with disabilities disability as a member’s organisation
represent 15% of the world’s has the following Vision and Mission.
population and many experience
discrimination, exclusion and live in VISION:
poverty, with restricted access to basic
A world in which all people with
goods and services. With a view to
psychosocial disability are treated with
addressing the discrimination and
the respect and dignity that enables
social exclusion facing persons with
disabilities, the United Nations adopted them to enjoy their human rights in all
in 2006 the Convention on the Rights aspects of their lives.
of Persons with Disabilities (The MISSION:
Convention or CRPD) and its Optional
Protocol. The Convention sets forth To advocate for and with people with
minimum legal standards to protect psychosocial disabilities and to provide
against discrimination and to promote a platform for a unified and
equality for persons with disabilities in empowered voice that is able to
all spheres of life - political, social, achieve the provision of necessary
economic, cultural and civil. The services and opportunities to have
Optional Protocol provides a means for their interests and human rights fully
individuals and groups to seek redress promoted and protected.
when these standards are not met and
for an independent committee of NOUSPR board members have, since
experts to undertake investigations the inception of the organisation, had
into serious breaches of disability anecdotal evidence through individual
rights set forth in the Convention.’ stories from members about the
(Extract from Office of the High difficulties they face on a daily basis
Commissioner for Human Rights draft but until this report had not been able
legislation handbook) to gather the information together to
support an advocacy campaign to
Rwanda is a signatory to both The address the issues. This report, using
Convention and The Optional Protocol the framework of The Convention on
and can be justifiably proud that it was the Rights of Persons with Disability
one of the first countries to sign up to (CRPD) for the design of an interview
both. Rwanda also has a Constitution schedule, has tested out what the
and disability legislation in place to board of NOUSPR knew, felt and
protect the rights of people with thought about the problems their
disabilities (Law No 01/2007of members face.
20/01/2007 Relating To the Protection
of Disabled Persons in General). The NOUSPR members have all
purpose of this report is to test whether experienced some mental illness
or not the reality for Rwandan People ranging from mild depression to very
with Psychosocial Disability in serious disorders such as Bi- Polar
everyday life matches the disorder and Schizophrenia. Many of
requirements and expectations of The the illnesses were caused by or arose
Convention, The Protocol and national during the genocide of 1994.
legislation.
The Users and Survivors movement is
The National Organisation of Users worldwide and people with
and Survivors of Psychiatry in Rwanda psychosocial disability are said to be

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‘Users’ if they have experienced difficult and if the fear of social
mental illness and are still undergoing disapproval delays the diagnosis then
medical treatment or are on a stable the treatment may be less effective.
management programme. Those that The strain of carrying the stigma of
have overcome their illness and come mental illness often results in other
out the other side of the services being medical complaints and ultimately
able to manage their condition are said even in suicide.
to be ‘Survivors’ of psychiatry.
Whether or not they are ‘Users’ or The view that Mental Disorder is the
‘Survivors’, everybody that has fault of the individual is widely held and
experienced mental disorder faces even well educated people can be
prejudice, stigma, discrimination and dismissive and insulting and this
often abuse. This negative social increases the reluctance of people to
attitude is the basis of why the term come forward and ask for help thus
psychosocial disability is used. making diagnosis and treatment more
difficult.
Mental Disorder (Mental Illness) shows
itself in many ways but is usually The lack of understanding stretches to
accompanied by erratic thoughts, the family and community as well
actions and emotions but the culture which leads to being made fun of,
in Rwanda along with medical training shunned, blamed and criticized for
separates the issues of the mind and being sick.
body. The reality, however, is that
chemical activity in the brain and Mental illness is still widely
genetic factors can play a big part in misunderstood and stigmatized in
Mental Disorder. Mental Disorder can Rwanda. In many cases, these
be treated with medication, alternative disorders are neither diagnosed nor
therapies and this treatment coupled treated despite the sufferers seeking
with family and community support can medical attention repeatedly for
be very effective. various symptoms. Many end up
overusing the medical system with
Mental Disorder is generally seen by repeated treatment for typhoid,
Rwandan society as the fault of the malaria, headaches, insomnia, chest
individual losing control and not as an problems, gastro-intestinal conditions,
illness that can affect anyone of us. backache and many other symptoms
This attitude can go as far as calling that mask the mental illness.
people ‘mad’ and even thinking they
are possessed by evil spirits that can The outcome of mental disorders is
be exorcised. good when treatment is started early,
so many of these conditions progress
The outcome of these attitudes is that to critical stages and have poorer
Mental Disorder is not viewed as an outcomes due to the delay in seeking
illness that can be treated but more as treatment.
an affliction that is the fault and
responsibility of the individual. Mental Illnesses, as opposed to
intellectual disabilities which in most
This view that it is the individual’s fault cases are irreversible and sufferers
can mean that people with Mental need permanent support to cope with
Disorder try to hide their illness or to life, affect previously healthy people
suffer in silence. Diagnosis can be and are largely treatable. In spite of

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their illness, persons with mental  High levels of ignorance exist
illness can go on to live productive within families
lives if they can get proper treatment
and management.  There is a lack of recognition of
the ranges of experiences
What NOUSPR knows: between men and women
 That action should not be based
 There is a disability law in on the government’s figures –
Rwanda that protects the rights we need to think about
of people with disability as well NOUSPR’s evidence and data
as a commitment by the
Government to the CRPD and
its protocol What NOUSPR feels:

 The category of psychosocial  Psychosocial disability is not
disability is not separately generally understood
defined in the legislation  The social model of
psychosocial disability is not
 It is estimated that 28% of the recognised
population of Rwanda has a
form of psychosocial disability  PWPSD do not know their
(based on a national survey and rights
compares with the World Health
Organisation‘s estimate that
25% of the world’s population
What NOUSPR thinks:
will at some point in their lives
suffer from mental disorder).  That PWPSD should be
consulted on services and
 There is no gender breakdown treatment
of sufferers
 That the recognition of the
 People in Rwanda diagnosed Human Rights of people with
with ‘Mental Disorder’ by a Psychosocial Disability is
‘Certified Doctor’ are barred NOUSPR’s most important
from parts of the electoral priority
processes  Without including PWPSD there
will not be 100% development
 There are low levels of with respect to the Economic
awareness in general Development and Poverty
Reduction Strategy (EDPRS)
 Policy makers don’t understand
the (psycho)social model  Something should be done
now
 PWPSD know what is right for
them

This report is a collation of the experiences of 200 people with psychosocial disability
in their everyday lives and a collection of the views of 12 representatives from other
organizations

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 Every User/Survivor shall be
free from any and all human

P
ART 2:
rights abuses – no user/survivor
WHAT IS PSYCHOSOCIAL shall be subjected to any
DISABILITY? – A WIDER physical, sexual or emotional
PERSPECTIVE: abuse

The introduction to this report  Every User/Survivor shall be
explained an overview of what free from all forms of
NOUSPR understands Psychosocial discrimination – no
Disability to be in Rwanda. It is worth user/survivor shall be subject to
considering, however, a wider view of housing, employment,
Psychosocial Disability in order to put economic, educational, racial or
this report in a wider international and cultural discrimination
national context.  Every User/Survivor shall be
There is no agreed definition of granted self determination and
psychosocial disability and indeed the right to make informed
those people dedicated to a medical choices – no user/survivor shall
model of mental illness may well be denied the right to make
dispute that psychosocial disability educated decisions affecting
exists at all. NOUSPR believes in the their lives including full informed
reality of psychosocial disability as participation and full informed
espoused by the World Network of consent in all mental health
Users and Survivors of Psychiatry ‘treatment’ matters; additionally,
(WNUSP) and by The Pan African users/survivors shall have the
Network of Users and Survivors of opportunity to fully participate in
Psychiatry (PANSUP). NOUSPR is a the planning, policy
member of both organizations. development, evaluation and
research of mental health
WNUSP established 32 guiding services
principles at a general meeting of their
World Conference and General  Every User/Survivor shall be
Assembly in Kampala, Uganda in granted self determination and
March 2009, to describe their the right to make informed
approach to resolving the issues that choices – no user/survivor shall
people with psychosocial disability be denied the right to make
face and in doing so inferred what educated decisions affecting
psychosocial disability is without their lives including full informed
coming up with an agreed definition. participation and full informed
Even within the disability movement consent in all mental health
there is no common understanding ‘treatment’ matters; additionally,
through a definition. The following are users/survivors shall have the
some of the principles agreed and all opportunity to fully participate in
32 principles can be accessed on the planning, policy
www.wnusp.net development, evaluation and
research of mental health
 Every User/Survivor shall be services
treated with the same basic
respect and dignity afforded to  Every User/Survivor shall be
all persons granted full legal and political

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civil rights – no user/survivor ‘The purpose of the present
shall be denied the right to Convention is to promote, protect and
participate fully in society, ensure the full and equal enjoyment of
including the right to participate all human rights and fundamental
in political processes, practice freedoms by all persons with
one’s religion, free speech and disabilities, and to promote respect for
to petition their governments their inherent dignity.
 Every User/Survivor shall have Persons with disabilities include those
the right to refuse any and all who have long-term physical, mental,
‘treatments or procedures’ no intellectual or sensory impairments
user/survivor shall be subjected which in interaction with various
or coerced or forced into barriers may hinder their full and
psychosurgery, sterilisation, effective participation in society on an
over-medication, psychiatric equal basis with others.’
drugging, chemical restraints,
physical restraints, insulin This article in its definition of persons
shock, electro shock or inpatient with disabilities includes those who
or outpatient commitment have Mental Impairments but does not
These principles whilst indicating an specifically refer to those people with a
approach that is taken by users and Psychosocial Disability. It also includes
survivors organisations worldwide, do people with Intellectual Impairment but
not necessarily help the general it does not go on to define what that
understanding and awareness of the may be. Intellectual Impairment covers
disability and in order to do this it is a wide range of Cognitive Impairments
perhaps helpful to look at the concepts such as Down’s syndrome and other
of Mental Disorder (Mental Illness and forms of Intellectual or Learning
Mental Impairment) and Mental Health Disability. This is self -evidently
as described in the CRPD and by the laudable but does not help when
World Health Organisation (WHO) and writing legislation or in the planning
then put those alongside the and delivery of services as, on many
perspective of Psychosocial Disability occasions, the difference between a
as viewed by the Users and Survivors Mental Illness originating disability and
of Psychiatry Organisations. a Cognitive Disability and the need for
a different approach to services is not
In looking at the concepts and the fully understood by planners and
language used to describe a condition legislators let alone by the public in
in the CRPD, WHO and Users and general.
Survivors of Psychiatry Organisations
it will be seen that the principles of The Users and Survivors movement
equality for all people with disability believes that Article 1 of the CRPD
are consistent but the actual nature of clearly covers Psychosocial Disorder
the condition attached to the language but the movement does not see people
with Cognitive Impairments as
used can be interpreted differently.
automatically living with Psychosocial
For example: Disability as well. People with
Cognitive Impairments can and do also
Article 1 (CRPD) on occasions have a Psychosocial
Purpose Disorder, like any other part of the
population but that would arise from a

9

superimposed Mental Health issues on conflict or any other reasons which
top of their Cognitive Impairment. may cause disability.
There is a complexity here that leads
to great difficulty for those trying to Codes and Laws of Rwanda - Ministry
plan and deliver appropriate services. of Justice
This complexity makes it even more http://www.amategeko.net/display_rubr
difficult to raise awareness of the ique.php?ActDo=all&...
general public and to sensitise them to
An order of the Minister in charge of
the needs of people with Psychosocial
Health shall determine modalities of
Disorder and people with Cognitive
how disabled persons are put in basic
Impairment as well. categories according to their
disabilities in order to help various
organs to guarantee them special
The Rwandan Law No 01/2007 of rights they require.
20/01/2007 – Relating to the
Protection of Disabled Persons in (The Ministerial Order N° 20/18 of
general is even less helpful on the 27/7/2009 defines mentally
question of Psychosocial Disability. In disabled people only as recognised
fact it is not referred to at all either disability category among the
through reference to Mental Disorder ‘other’ disability category in
(Mental Illness) in the main text of the Rwanda.)
legislation or the five categories
defined as disabled in the Ministerial The WHO’s description of Mental
Order. The legislation states: Disorder (Mental Illness) and Mental
Health may offer an easier way to
Article: 1(of the Rwandan Law on understand Psychosocial Disability.
Disability)
‘‘Mental disorders comprise a
This law protects disabled persons in broad range of problems, with
general. different symptoms. They are
Without prejudice to provisions of this generally characterized by some
law, there may be instituted particular combination of abnormal thoughts,
laws protecting persons who are emotions, behaviour and
disabled due to various circumstances. relationships with others.’’ (World
Health Organisation)
Article: 2(of the Rwandan Law on
Disability)
In this law, disability shall mean the Some examples of Mental Disorder
condition of a person’s impairment of (Mental Illness):
health ability he or she should have  Schizophrenia
been in possession, and consequently
leading to deficiency compared to  Depression
others.
 Disorders due to drug abuse
In this law, a disabled person is any
individual who was born without  Bi – Polar Disorder ( manic
congenital abilities like those of others depression)
or one who was deprived of such
 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
abilities due to disease, accident,

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 Eating Disorders (e.g. Anorexia, relevant just as much to Rwanda as
bulimia) anywhere else in the world.
 Anxiety Disorder ‘’Mental disorders contribute more
to disease burden and disability in
Some facts about Mental Disorder ( developing countries than any other
Mental Illness): category of non-communicable
disease, yet only a small minority of
 There is no single cause of the
people with mental disorders in
different types of disorder
these countries have access to
 All of them can be treated mental health services. The need is
high, and care is inadequate,” (Ban
 They can be managed, not just Ki – Moon, Secretary General of the
in institutions but also in the United Nations October 2009)
community
The WHO Mental Health definition is
 Many conditions can be cured- also relatively straight forward and
e.g. Depression and Anxiety certainly assists in understanding the
Disorder concept of Psychosocial Disability.
 Mental Disorder is not Mental Health is:
necessarily constant or
permanent "A state of complete physical,
mental and social well-being and
(The last fact is particularly important not merely the absence of disease.
as a Cognitive Impairment is constant It is related to the promotion of
and permanent even though the well-being, the prevention of mental
effects of that disability can still be disorders, and the treatment and
reduced with support from others) rehabilitation of people affected by
mental disorders.’’. (World Health
Who can suffer from Mental Disorder Organisation)
(Mental Illness)?
Therefore Psychosocial Disability can
 Anyone and everyone be viewed in the following way:
 It is estimated that one in four  Whereas Mental Disorder is
people throughout the world has seen as entirely medical issue,
or will suffer from mental Psychosocial Disability takes as
disorder in their lifetime (WHO) its starting point the concept of
 Mental Disorder (Mental Illness) Mental Health as not just the
appears everywhere in the absence of disease but a state
world, irrespective of wealth, of complete well being of the
ethnicity or religion individual

The importance of the scale and  Psychosocial Disability occurs
problem of Mental Disorder (Mental just as much because of
Illness), particularly in developing society’s attitudes to treatment
countries, has been recognised by the and support of the individual as
United Nations (UN) in a speech made it does because of the nature of
by Banki-Moon, Secretary General, the Mental Disorder (Illness)
UN in 2009 and his comments are itself

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social rather than a medical model of
This view of Psychosocial Disability is disability and which require the
shared not just by Users and Survivors integration of the fields of mental
Organisations but also by leading health law, non-discrimination, and
academics and in some countries by legal capacity…… “
leading politicians. It is these views
that NOUSPR would want to put
forward in Rwanda. For example at a This view forms the basis of
recent International Disability Summer NOUSPR’s view on how to help
School (Gallway June2012) people Psychosocial Disability and
conference in Ireland, The President of it is with this view in mind that we
The Irish Republic, Michael D. Higgins collected the information in this
said in his opening address report.
“ … I will seek to achieve an inclusive
citizenship where every citizen
participates and everyone is treated
with respect …

P
ART 3: METHODOLOGY,
…..In fact, it has been the case that FRAMEWORK, DESIGN
until relatively recently persons who
AND SCOPE OF THIS
experienced mental illness were
largely invisible within our society – REPORT:
sometimes denied their basic human We do not claim that this report is a
rights and warehoused in institutions scientific view or measurement of the
disconnected from the community – experiences of people with
pushed to the margins, the periphery Psychosocial Disability in Rwanda.
of normal everyday life…. Rather it is a collection of the stories of
... We must seek to move to a culture the personal experiences of those
of assisted citizenship, where a people. The way in which the
member of society with a mental information has been collected is
disability may receive appropriate based in Qualitative Research
support in making decisions without Methodology.
relinquishing their right to actually  Qualitative research aims to
make that decision themselves. In this provide an in-depth
way we can ensure that freedom of understanding of the social
choice is not withheld from those with world of research participants
mental disabilities and that society through learning about their
relates to them in a way that does not social and material
diminish their right to exercise legal circumstances, experiences,
capacity…. perspectives and histories.
... By depriving citizens of the right to (Ritchie and Lewis, Qualitative
represent themselves and to make Research Practice 2003)
important decisions regarding their  Qualitative research is not
lifestyle and their medical care we fail based on statistically
to promote their inclusion in society representative samples and so
and we contradict the principles to does not produce statistically
which we should aspire; principles significant findings.
which espouse the upholding of a

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 Participants are selected in a  16 NOUSPR members were
non-random way, according to trained in research
characteristics of most interest methods/interviewing
to the particular study. In this
purposive sampling, the criteria  An interview schedule was
used to select participants are agreed at two meetings with
more important than the number members of
always based on a small NOUSPR/Researchers based
number of people taking part. on the areas agreed from the
CRPD
 Qualitative research is almost
always based on a small
number of cases. In reporting,
qualitative research does not
use numbers; any experience or
perspective has value
regardless of how often or
seldom has it appeared.

FRAMEWORK FOR THE
RESEARCH: Training of researchers

The framework for the research is  Particular attention was given to
based on the United Nations Gender and other Disability
Convention on the Rights of Persons issues with each set of
with a Disability and the areas covered questions containing a sub set
were: asking specifically about the
effect on the respondents of
 The Legal/Justice System gender and/or additional
 Accommodation disability had had on their
experiences
 Education
 50 individual interviews were
 Health Care conducted with people with
psychosocial disability
 Employment
 12 interviews/written responses
 Participating in the public and were carried out with other
cultural life and the recreation, stakeholders
leisure and sporting
opportunities in the community  Five Focus/Enquiry groups
were held in Gisenyi,
Nyagatare, Gitwe and Kigali (2)
DESIGN AND SCOPE OF THE  The same interview schedule
RESEARCH: was used for a basis of
discussion in the focus groups
 A Literature Study was carried
and the responses recorded
out
(150 people attended in all –
50% women and 50% men)

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P
ART 4: THE INDIVIDUAL 5. Subject to the provisions of this
INTERVIEWS: article, States Parties shall take all
appropriate and effective measures
to ensure the equal right of persons
with disabilities to own or inherit
THE LEGAL/JUSTICE SYSTEM: property, to control their own
financial affairs and to have equal
Article 12 (CRPD) access to bank loans, mortgages
Equal recognition before the law and other forms of financial credit,
and shall ensure that persons with
1. States Parties reaffirm that disabilities are not arbitrarily
persons with disabilities have the deprived of their property
right to recognition everywhere as
persons before the law. Rwandan Law on Disability (article
3) states on the same subject:
2. States Parties shall recognize
that persons with disabilities enjoy Every disabled person shall be
legal capacity on an equal basis entitled to equal rights with others
with others in all aspects of life. persons before the law. He or she
shall be respected and be entitled
3. States Parties shall take to human dignity.
appropriate measures to provide
access by persons with disabilities Article 13 (CRPD)
to the support they may require in Access to justice
exercising their legal capacity.
1. States Parties shall ensure effective
4. States Parties shall ensure that access to justice for persons with
all measures that relate to the disabilities on an equal basis with
exercise of legal capacity provide others, including through the provision
for appropriate and effective of procedural and age-appropriate
safeguards to prevent abuse in accommodations, in order to facilitate
accordance with international their effective role as direct and
human rights law. Such safeguards indirect participants, including as
shall ensure that measures relating witnesses, in all legal proceedings,
to the exercise of legal capacity including at investigative and other
respect the rights, will and preliminary stages.
preferences of the person, are free
of conflict of interest and undue 2. In order to help to ensure effective
influence, are proportional and access to justice for persons with
tailored to the person's disabilities, States Parties shall
circumstances, apply for the promote appropriate training for those
shortest time possible and are working in the field of administration of
subject to regular review by a justice, including police and prison
competent, independent and staff.
impartial authority or judicial body.
The safeguards shall be Rwandan Law on Disability on this
proportional to the degree to which subject states in Article 8 that:
such measures affect the person's
rights and interests. A disabled person shall have the right
to legal representation like any other

14

person in courts of law as determined when such a case is between
by law. someone with mental illness and
another “normal” person, it is always
The State shall determine the decided in the favour of the latter.
modalities of providing legal aid to the Take for example a case which I even
needy disabled persons who are not raised to the president of the republic
able to get legal representation.1 during his last visit here in 2008, I told
him that there is a family land that I am
Various organs shall facilitate the
legally entitled to but some other
disabled persons in acquisition of the
people had grabbed it forcefully; upon
required services at any time it is
hearing that the president instructed
considered necessary.
the local leaders to solve my problem,
but up to now I have not got my land.
And the only excuse they give to
themselves and to others who
question about that unfairness is that I
RESPONSES BY INDIVIDUALS ON am a mad person!’ (Male – age 36,
THE SUBJECT OF LAW AND married unemployed)
JUSTICE:
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘The justice system is not only ‘Most leaders equate mental illness
supposed to give us freedom of with uselessness and when you are
expression it also has the looked at in that way, you have no
responsibility to put laws in place that right whatsoever. I will give you 2
protect our entire human rights, but if examples beginning with my own
such laws are not there e.g. the right to experience, when my father’s property
vote and be voted for, where does it was being shared I was not considered
leave us? It is only an organization like as his child. I had to battle it out in
CARITAS that has been able to build courts but in vain. The second
some houses for People with example is of another lady who after
Psychosocial disabilities, but why getting mental illness was chased
doesn’t our government include us in away by her husband; her brothers
economic development initiatives that also never wanted her in their families.
are there for other citizens? Why can’t She became homeless despite the fact
we be given medical insurance cards that she had her inheritance (a big
since we are the ones who are most chunk of land) which her brothers were
effected and constantly ill?’ (Male – farming freely. She was so destitute so
age 51, married with six children, that at one time when she was a sleep
unemployed) in the bushes at night dogs came and
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ started eating her child. If it was not for
‘I think the laws and in fact all the legal the intervention of passersby the child
system exists only for the people other would have been eaten by the dogs
than us who have mental illness. Even completely. The authorities were not
the easiest case one could think of, ignorant of the unfairness of her
husband and her own brothers. But
what did they do? Nothing! It is only a
1
Codes and Laws of Rwanda - good hearted doctor who, after
Ministry of Justice learning about her sad story, took her
http://www.amategeko.net/display_rubr to Ndera hospital and took charge of
ique.php?ActDo=all&... her treatment and she has now
recovered. There is no justice for

15

mentally ill people in the current legal ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
system.’ (Female – age 49, married ‘In so far as I am concerned there is no
with five children, unemployed) legal system or justice to protect me, if
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ they do exist they are for the normal
‘I don’t know anything about the legal people. I get harassed and beaten
system; neither do I know any rights when I am just out of my family and I
for people like myself. What right can get no one to report to. I am shouted at
you have when you are socially and teased even by the local leaders
rejected?’ (Female – age 51, widow, themselves.’ ((Male –age 24, lives with
lives with her sister, her own two parents and siblings, unemployed)
children and her sister’s four children, ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
unemployed) ‘I am not allowed to vote or be voted
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ for, I don’t have rights to my property,
‘I don’t know any rights that protect me none listens to my point of view be it in
neither do I know any laws.’ (Female – meetings or other gatherings. I am not
age 43, married with three children, in any way treated with respect and
unemployed) the legal system has not come to my
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ rescue.’ (Female – age 35, single,
‘I once bought a forest with someone lives with children, unemployed)
who promised to give me a legal ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
contract of sale but after a time he ‘Police has rounded me up many
started denying that anything exists times, sometimes I got beaten and
between him and I this was after I had taken to prison but I could later be
paid and we had had an agreement on released.’(Male – age 24, lives in a
a small piece of paper awaiting to go charitable institution, unemployed)
to the authorities and pay the ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
sale/purchase tax. When I called for ‘The problems are that I am not
the attention of authorities, every one listened to. I tried to go back where I
referred to my “madness”. And that was born to claim my parent’s property
was it. I lost.’ (Female –age 52, but I was dismissed and not listened to
married with children, unemployed) by authorities.’(Female – age 24,
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ single, one child, unemployed)
‘I can’t be accepted (for a contract). ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Period. Even in my family can’t allow ‘Legally I am not protected for
me to enter into a contract unless I am whenever I have problem with
given a representative. For instance I someone none believes that the other
went to my family ( birth place) to claim person has wronged me. They always
my inheritance but I was denied maintain that I am mad and because of
possession of the plot that my parents that I am the trouble causer.’ (Male –
had left for me on the pretext that I am age 52, married, four children,
mentally unfit. (Female – age 44, unemployed)
widow, four children, unemployed) ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ ‘Whenever I get any problem with
‘There is no justice for people like me. someone I am not listened to and
I am not in any way respected as a therefore I am not protected by the law
human being. I am just called mad and neither am I considered by the legal
it makes me feel more mad.’ (Male – system in place.’ (Female – age 28,
age 45, single, homeless, married, one child, unemployed)
unemployed) ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

16

‘The legal system does not care about community, with choices equal to
people with psychosocial disability. I others, and shall take effective and
wish you would make advocacy about appropriate measures to facilitate full
the plight of people with psychosocial enjoyment by persons with disabilities
disability so that the society becomes of this right and their full inclusion and
aware of our rights. For even us participation in the community,
ourselves do not know the laws that including by ensuring that:
are supposed to protect us.’ (Female –
age 42, single, lives with children, (a) Persons with disabilities have the
unemployed) opportunity to choose their place of
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ residence and where and with whom
‘I don’t know anything about justice; they live on an equal basis with others
they take me as a mad old lady even and are not obliged to live in a
when I want justice say for example if particular living arrangement;
a neighbour grazes his animals in my
gardens I don’t get necessary (b) Persons with disabilities have
attention. They maintain that I am access to a range of in- residential and
mad.’ (Female – age 66, widow, lives other community support services,
with orphaned grand-child, including personal assistance
unemployed) necessary to support living and
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ inclusion in the community, and to
prevent isolation or segregation from
the community;

(c) Community services and facilities
for the general population are available
on an equal basis to persons with
disabilities and are responsive to their
needs.

There is no direct comparison to this
article the Rwandan Law on Disability:

RESPONSES BY INDIVIDUALS ON
THE SUBJECT OF
ACCOMMODATION:

Focus Group participants ‘I have problems finding where to live;
everyone calls me a mad woman. It is
not easy for me to get a house to rent
even when I have money. Some
ACCOMMODATION: landlords chase me out of their houses
when they find out that I have
Article 19 (CRPD) psychosocial disability even my
Living independently and being husband abandons me when I get into
included in the community mental health crisis. No one visits me
and none welcomes me in their
States Parties to this Convention families. However, when I am stable I
recognize the equal right of all persons try to participate in all community
with disabilities to live in the activities including UMUGANDA

17

(social community work) despite the always care about me when I am in a
negative attitude. (Female – age 35, crisis. With our neighbours, it is a
married, one child, lives with three different case, those who know
relatives) (because I try to hide it) isolate me,
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ even those who are supposed to be
‘I live with family members. But at this my friends- the age mates, don’t
age, I wish I had my own house, consider my existence when they have
however, given the attitude of people parties they don’t invite me. I am not
around me I can’t even think of looking informed of community meetings and
for one.’(Female –age 28, single, two most times I don’t participate. They
children, lives with siblings, take (it that you) are a useless person.’
unemployed) (Female – age 28, single, lives with
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ siblings, employed)
‘It was not easy for me. After the ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
genocide our house had been ‘I live with my Dad and wherever he
destroyed. When I returned to my shifts to I go with him. Neighbours are
place no one wanted to receive me not good to me they don’t welcome me
back, I stayed at a distant relative’s in their families, even my step mother
place but she was also not comfortable does not like me she always shouts at
with my disability. I tried to get a small me. It is only my brother who
house to rent but none could allow me sympathizes with me. He looks for my
in his house. They said that I won’t pay shoes and cleans them when I am
them emphasizing on my “madness’’ going to school in the morning and
but because I have my own land the finds some skin lotion for me. My Dad
government later assisted me to get provides money for my medicine and
where to live’ (Female –age 66, widow, he also pays for my hair cutting. I
lives with grandchild, unemployed) notice that whether in the family or with
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ neighbours I am not liked like other
‘Because this is not my place of birth, people are. And know it is because I
they call me derogatory names and am sick. This disturbs me so much so
they don’t welcome me in their homes. that I wish to die, may be then I may
My children are harassed and for any have some rest from the negative
slight mistake say if my child fights attitudes that I experience.’ (Male –
with theirs I get kicked out of their age unknown, single, lives with family,
house and it takes me long to get unemployed)
another house to live in for they all say ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
that I am mad. The community attitude ‘I never experienced any problem of
is so sickening as no one gives you a getting where we are living now, it is
respect as a mother or as a fellow only our neighbours who are not happy
human being. Neighbours and the with us. They don’t say it loud but we
landlords are all alike they share the can feel it.’ (Male – age 40, married,
same understanding about me “the three children, unemployed)
mad woman”.’ (Female – age 44, ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
widow, six children, unemployed) ‘I started living in this place since
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 1968, it is only of recent that the
‘I have had no problem with authority requested me that I should
accommodation because I live with my shift and join others in community
brothers and sisters in our parent’s villages (UMUDUGUDU) but I have no
house. They have a good financial capacity to do so.
understanding of my illness and they
18

My neighbours don’t respect me at all ‘It was not easy for me. After my house
even those who pretend to be friendly was sold, I could not easily get where
can’t invite you in their parties.’ to settle, they chased me from house
(Female – age 60, single, three to house even without a warning. I can
children, unemployed) remember my wife and I once paid a
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ man 3 years rent in advance but after
‘I started living where I live in 1996. It one year he tried to chase us from his
is my brother’s house house and when we resisted he
I have no problem with my brother. I reimbursed our money.’ (Male – age
pay his rent timely.’ (Male – age 51, 52, married, six children, unemployed)
married, four children, unemployed ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
with own piece of land) ‘Because mental illness is associated
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ with evil spirits most landlords see
‘It is normally not easy for someone to renting their houses to people with
rent out his/her house to a “mad” psychosocial disabilities as giving evil
person. At times you have to be spirits a sanctuary in their homes. So,
careful when you are looking for a their either hike prices or refuse to rent
house and make sure that none out their houses to us.’ (Female – age
detects your mental status, or if you 42, married, five children, unemployed)
have someone “normal” to get it for ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
you, much better.’ (Male – age 42, ‘My husband covers me in such
married, unemployed) matters, He is the one who rents the
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ house we live in. Our previous
‘People don’t like being with me. landlords were very harsh and when
Before I came back here on our family they discovered that I was mentally ill,
property which I inherited from my they chased us out of the house and
parents, I was constantly moving from spread the roomer to other landlords,
place to place looking for My husband had to go far off and
accommodation; once I got one I looked for a house where they didn’t
would be chased before long. know me.’
Landlords used give me more ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
headache than my illness, if I would
miss to pay my rent by a day or two,
they would say that I will not pay them EDUCATION:
and therefore chase me a way.’ (Male
– age 56, married, six children, Article 24 (CRPD)
unemployed) Education
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘I got this illness in 2009, I had already 1. States Parties recognize the right of
a house to live in and a cultivatable persons with disabilities to education.
land, hover, even though we are in a With a view to realizing this right
village, other people with mental without discrimination and on the basis
illness that I know do not get of equal opportunity, States Parties
accommodation easily. Most of their shall ensure an inclusive education
big problem is poorness and again the system at all levels and life long
attitudes.’ (Male – age 49, married, six learning directed to:
children, own land)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ (a) The full development of human
potential and sense of dignity and self-
worth, and the strengthening of

19

respect for human rights, fundamental this end, States Parties shall take
freedoms and human diversity; appropriate measures, including:

(b) The development by persons with (a) Facilitating the learning of Braille,
disabilities of their personality, talents alternative script, augmentative and
and creativity, as well as their mental alternative modes, means and formats
and physical abilities, to their fullest of communication and orientation and
potential; mobility skills, and facilitating peer
support and mentoring;
(c) Enabling persons with disabilities to
participate effectively in a free society. (b) Facilitating the learning of sign
language and the promotion of the
2. In realizing this right, States Parties linguistic identity of the deaf
shall ensure that: community;

(a) Persons with disabilities are not (c) Ensuring that the education of
excluded from the general education persons, and in particular children,
system on the basis of disability, and who are blind, deaf or deafblind, is
that children with disabilities are not delivered in the most appropriate
excluded from free and compulsory languages and modes and means of
primary education, or from secondary communication for the individual, and
education, on the basis of disability; in environments which maximize
academic and social development.
(b) Persons with disabilities can
access an inclusive, quality and free 4. In order to help ensure the
primary education and secondary realization of this right, States Parties
education on an equal basis with shall take appropriate measures to
others in the communities in which employ teachers, including teachers
they live; with disabilities, who are qualified in
sign language and/or Braille, and to
(c) Reasonable accommodation of the train professionals and staff who work
individual's requirements is provided; at all levels of education. Such training
shall incorporate disability awareness
(d) Persons with disabilities receive the and the use of appropriate
support required, within the general augmentative and alternative modes,
education system, to facilitate their means and formats of communication,
effective education; educational techniques and materials
to support persons with disabilities.
(e) Effective individualized support
measures are provided in 5. States Parties shall ensure that
environments that maximize academic persons with disabilities are able to
and social development, consistent access general tertiary education,
with the goal of full inclusion. vocational training, adult education
and lifelong learning without
3. States Parties shall enable persons discrimination and on an equal basis
with disabilities to learn life and social with others. To this end, States Parties
development skills to facilitate their full shall ensure that reasonable
and equal participation in education accommodation is provided to persons
and as members of the community. To with disabilities.

20

There are three articles in the some teachers started calling me a
Rwandan Law on Disability relating to mad girl and this got me disoriented
Education: such that I lost interest in whatever the
teachers were teaching . And when I
Article: 11 started using mental drugs and
because of my absence from school
A disabled person has the right to while in a crisis, my school marks fell
appropriate education in respect of the remarkably- this together with the
nature of his or her disability. attitudes from teachers and students
made me quit school.’ (Female – age
The Government or centres which
28, single, lives with siblings,
cater for disabled persons who are not
unemployed)
able to study with others, shall provide
with them modalities to study in a ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
specialised school and shall have ‘In education, it is not easy especially
qualified and trained teachers and when I get sick- this has made me
appropriate equipment. repeat the same class every other
year. I have got so disappointed so
The Minister in charge of Education that I don’t see a good future before
shall, basing on basic categories of me. The only good thing is my good
disability determined by the Minister in teacher who comforts me and
charge of Health, determine modalities encourages me to continue- But I am a
of facilitating the needy disabled slow learner.
persons in ordinary schools and in With an exception of my inability I don’t
specialised schools in case of failure to face any other problem. Fellow
study with others. students here don’t harass me and my
teachers are good to me. I have never
Article: 12 sensed any bad attitude towards me
while here at school.’ (Male – age
A pupil or a student with disabilities
unknown, lives with mother, father and
that do not enable him or her to sit
siblings, unemployed)
exams with fellow schoolmates or in
the same manner as others is entitled ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
to the right of sitting for exams in a ‘I told you and as you can hear me
special manner. speaking, I am almost dumb. Some
teachers, who are not compassionate
Article: 13 towards me, don’t make an effort to
listen to my questions as a result they
The Minister in charge of education don’t explain to me. My dumbness is
shall determine modalities of an injury to the wound.’ (Male – age
facilitating the needy disabled persons 17, lives with mother and siblings, at
in pursuing education. school)

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
RESPONSES FROM INDIVIDUALS ‘I like schooling, even now if I got a the
ON THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATION: school environment needs to be
‘When I was at school, students used without harassment of people with
to isolate me. I never had friends disabilities and the teachers need to
however much I tried to look for some. be understanding. I had studied up to
They could call me names and It’s P.6 and I had 3 years in a plumbing
where I was named a mad girl- even

21

course.’ (Male – age 40, married, three ‘I stopped studies when I was in senior
children, unemployed) two, but if I can get a chance I can go
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ back to school, I once went to
Rwamagana in a school of people with
‘I studied up to Primary 3 when I psychosocial disability and participated
started to be attacked by epilepsy. My in a classroom for a while, I found out
illness and stigma that I started that I got good marks. My problem is
experiencing while at school made me only lack of financial capacity
dull I could not learn anything however otherwise, I may go back to school.’
much I tried to be attentive.’ (Female – (Male – age 52, six children,
age 60, lives with one child and two unemployed)
grandchildren, works own land) ‘I never went to school’ (Female – age
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 39, married, five children, unemployed)
‘I never went to school.’ (Male – age ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
51, married, four children, works own
land) ‘My illness came after 1994 genocide I
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ had left school long ago.’(Female –
age 52, married unemployed)
‘I finished my primary level but ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
because of my drug addiction I never
continued I decided join street life ‘I finished primary level education, but
where I could be able to get drugs.’ because of my epilepsy I never
(Male – age 27, lives in an institution, managed to go further than that.’ (Male
unemployed) – age 27, single, lives with mother and
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ seven siblings, unemployed)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘I stopped my studies in primary 2 due
to lack of school fees and other school ‘I finished primary school and I did
necessities’ (Female age 19, single, no construction technical training for three
family, lives with friend, employed) month.’ (Male – age 52, married, three
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ children, unemployed)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘The attitudes about people with
mental illness are everywhere even in ‘I studied up to primary six and by then
schools teachers and fellow students I had not had this illness.’ (Female –
tease and call you names whenever age 33, married, three children,
they find out that one has got mental unemployed)
illness and that is precisely what ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
stopped me from continuing my
education.’ (Male – age 36, married ‘When I started getting sick I was in
unemployed) Primary six but due to the students
and teachers attitudes towards me I
‘I studied long before I got this problem could not continue. The Head teacher
of illness, to primary 5.’ (Male, married, told me not to go back to school until I
six children, unemployed) would get healed. I got more
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ depressed when I got chased out of
the school.’ (Female –age 27, single,
‘I never went to school.’ (Male - age lives with mother, unemployed)
49, married, six children, unemployed) ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

22

HEALTH: standards for public and private health
care;
Article 25 (CRPD)
Health (e) Prohibit discrimination against
persons with disabilities in the
States Parties recognize that persons provision of health insurance, and life
with disabilities have the right to the insurance where such insurance is
enjoyment of the highest attainable permitted by national law, which shall
standard of health without be provided in a fair and reasonable
discrimination on the basis of disability. manner;
States Parties shall take all
appropriate measures to ensure (f) Prevent discriminatory denial of
access for persons with disabilities to health care or health services or food
health services that are gender- and fluids on the basis of disability.
sensitive, including health-related
rehabilitation. In particular, States There are three articles in the
Parties shall: Rwandan Law on Disability relating to
Health:
(a) Provide persons with disabilities
with the same range, quality and Article: 14
standard of free or affordable health
care and programmes as provided to The Government shall facilitate a
other persons, including in the area of disabled person in getting medical
sexual and reproductive health and care and prosthesis and orthesis
population-based public health appliances if required.
programmes;
Article: 15
(b) Provide those health services The Government has an obligation to
needed by persons with disabilities provide medical care to a needy
specifically because of their disabled person and it shall provide
disabilities, including early prosthesis and orthesis appliances if
identification and intervention as required.
appropriate, and services designed to
minimize and prevent further Article: 16
disabilities, including among children
and older persons; Each centre or association that caters
for the disabled persons is obliged to
(c) Provide these health services as have a department responsible for
close as possible to people's own examination of trauma as well as
communities, including in rural areas; physico-social counselling.

(d) Require health professionals to
provide care of the same quality to RESPONSES FROM INDIVIDUAL
persons with disabilities as to others, INTERVIEWS ON THE SUBJECT OF
including on the basis of free and HEALTH:
informed consent by, inter alia, raising
awareness of the human rights, ‘I once went to Ndera hospital when I
dignity, autonomy and needs of experienced mental crisis but due to
persons with disabilities through negative effects of the drugs they
training and the promulgation of ethical administered to me, I can’t go back for

23

treatment. I rather go for prayers in the with psychosocial disabilities) where I
church when my situation deteriorates. was injected with some medicine that
I went by myself because my husband got me sleep. When I woke up the next
had abandoned me and my day, I was dizzy and foaming, I was
neighbours always call me a mad given some other tablets which got me
person. No one cares about me, even hungry and powerless, I later escaped
at the hospital I got neglected until I and since then I have not gone back to
started shouting louder for help. I was the hospital.’ (Male – age 45, single,
then injected with a very strong homeless, unemployed)
medicine that made me sleep ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
unconsciously and when I woke up I
was powerless, foaming and more ‘At present I am stable, but the
hungry than ever. From then on I problem is that even when I am
feared going back. I went by myself suffering from other types of illness, I
because my husband had abandoned am forced to take mental illness drugs.
me and my neighbours always call me I cannot be listened to even when I
a mad person. (Female – age 35 know I am right. It disturbs me a lot
years, married, lives with husband, when my family members tie me up
one child and other family members, and take me to the community centre
works as a construction aid when for mental disability treatment even
stable) when I feel I am suffering from another
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ disease.’(Male - age 26, lives with
father, mother and seven siblings,
‘I am now stable, the only problem that never been employed)
I experience is getting medicine when I ‘∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
am under mental crisis, my mental
medicine is not covered under the I have a healthcare card, unfortunately
present health care program ( mittuelle it does not cover the type of medicine I
de santé) if I may constantly get use; and as a result I am most of the
medication, I think my situation may time in a mental crisis; my family
stabilize permanently.’ (Female – age members at times spend their money
57 years, married, lives with husband trying to get my type of medicine and
and six children, unemployed) this increases their rage against me
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ saying that I am the source of family
problems.’(Female - age 28, single
‘It all started when I was about to get parent, two children and lives with four
married, It started with a severe siblings, never been employed)
headache. My head ached me until I ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
started running around at times crying,
my girlfriend chucked me and ‘It is not an easy task getting
everybody else started saying that I medication, we used to get medication
was mad. My parents sold the little from Kigali but it is quite far from here,
property that I had including my land at times when I am in a crisis, I am
and goats trying to get some treatment given only aspirin. The health centre
for me; I first went to local healers but medical attendants don’t care about
to no avail, as my situation went from me whenever I try to explain to them
bad to worse, I was grabbed by that their medicine is not effective. I
neighbours and family members and lost my mental stability because of the
put into ropes and taken to Ndera 1994 genocide, sometimes I stabilize
(national referral hospital for people but whenever something like seeing

24

someone with scars or during the medicine. I went into immense mental
genocide commemoration period crisis such that I was taken back
occurs, then my situation deteriorates. forcefully and I was injected with a
I am only comforted by being with my medicine that made me unconscious.
association members with whom I I hate to remember that experience.
share problems. The association These days I am o.k. I no longer get
counsels us and it encourages us to severe headaches on a daily basis, I
share our challenges. If I try to go to am in a cooperative with some of my
Kigali to look for proper medicine, it friends who have the same problem
costs me a lot and this leaves me with and by keeping together with my
nothing to eat. Again when I am not at friends I have improved.’(Female - age
home my grandchild remains alone he 44, widow, lives with her five children
worries so much that I might die when and one adopted child, unemployed)
I leave him alone.’(Female – age 66, ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
widow, lives with orphaned grandchild,
unemployed) ‘My Dad gives me money for
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ medication, the only problem is when I
find too many people at the hospital
‘Medical personnel around here don’t and I get delayed while waiting for the
care about me when I visit the hospital doctor. Otherwise I don’t experience
for my illness, they tout that I am mad any other problems at the hospital
and mindless. When I ask for a problem.
transfer letter to another hospital, they What pleases me is how I am
don’t give it to me. At times, they may improving because of the medicine I
give me aspirin and tell me that that is get I no longer have serious headache
all. There used to be a project that like it used to be. I am not so o.k. now
paid for my medication and even that because I still use drugs but I have
of my children. They would pay for my been relieved. And I hope I will get
transport to Kigali when going to the cured.’(Male – age unknown, lives with
national referral hospital of Ndera his father and his father’s wife,
where I would be treated but now I student)
don’t know where it went. I am poor ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
and I can’t afford to do it by myself. I
have even failed to raise money to ‘I got mental illness when I was a child
purchase (mittuelle de santé ) a and I am also disabled in a leg, this
medical insurance card. was due to the injections I got when I
A certain doctor in Ndera who knew was being treated for my mental
me used to treat me well. He was illness. My 2 sons also have mental
gentle and good to me he would listen illness; the first one is 11 years old and
to me and give me some tablets that the second is 9 years old. We go to
calmed me down but since I no longer hospitals for treatment, however, at
have means to go to Kigali, I can’t present I don’t have mituelle de santé
trace him. In fact his attention and care (a medical insurance card) mine
were more of a medicine to me than expired but I will soon pay for its
the tablets he gave me. renewal.
A certain doctor in our local health What is good is that I have improved-
centre ignored me when I had visited my life is not like it was when I was still
the hospital for medication, I quarrelled young; the medicine that I use has
with him but he could not relent until I made me improve a lot. Again the
left and went back home with no

25

current health insurance system has protection from harassment, and the
made it easy for me to get medication. redress of grievances;
People with mental disabilities are not
given due attention in the hospitals, (c) Ensure that persons with
most of hospitals and health care disabilities are able to exercise their
centres don’t have mental health labour and trade union rights on an
professionals and we get lined up with equal basis with others;
other people while waiting for a doctor
as if we have the same illness.’(Male – (d) Enable persons with disabilities to
age 40, married with three children, have effective access to general
occasionally employed when stable) technical and vocational guidance
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ programmes, placement services and
vocational and continuing training;

EMPLOYMENT: (e) Promote employment opportunities
and career advancement for persons
Article 27 (CRPD) with disabilities in the labour market,
Work and employment as well as assistance in finding,
obtaining, maintaining and returning to
1. States Parties recognize the right of employment;
persons with disabilities to work, on an
equal basis with others; this includes (f) Promote opportunities for self-
the right to the opportunity to gain a employment, entrepreneurship, the
living by work freely chosen or development of cooperatives and
accepted in a labour market and work starting one's own business;
environment that is open, inclusive and
accessible to persons with disabilities. (g) Employ persons with disabilities in
States Parties shall safeguard and the public sector;
promote the realization of the right to
work, including for those who acquire a (h) Promote the employment of
disability during the course of persons with disabilities in the private
employment, by taking appropriate sector through appropriate policies and
steps, including through legislation, to, measures, which may include
inter alia: affirmative action programmes,
incentives and other measures;
(a) Prohibit discrimination on the basis
of disability with regard to all matters (i) Ensure that reasonable
concerning all forms of employment, accommodation is provided to persons
including conditions of recruitment, with disabilities in the workplace;
hiring and employment, continuance of
employment, career advancement and (j) Promote the acquisition by persons
safe and healthy working conditions; with disabilities of work experience in
the open labour market;
(b) Protect the rights of persons with
disabilities, on an equal basis with (k) Promote vocational and
others, to just and favourable professional rehabilitation, job
conditions of work, including equal retention and return-to-work
opportunities and equal remuneration programmes for persons with
for work of equal value, safe and disabilities.
healthy working conditions, including

26

2. States Parties shall ensure that (Male –age 45, single, homeless,
persons with disabilities are not held in unemployed)
slavery or in servitude, and are
protected, on an equal basis with ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
others, from forced or compulsory
labour. It is not easy to get a job. Looking for
a job calls for having a certain level of
There are three articles in the financial capacity, when you consider
Rwandan Law on Disability relating to necessities such as transportation,
employment: photocopies of one’s documents and
the telephone calls one has to make, it
Article: 18 becomes quite difficult. In addition
No discrimination of any form shall be when one has been labelled mad, one
subjected upon a disabled person in cannot even be recommended by any
matters related to employment. one for a certain job.
Lack of money (makes it difficult) to
However, a disabled person shall be facilitate me in applying for vacancies
given greater access to employment but more especially employers
opportunities than any other citizen in negative attitudes towards me.
case of equal capacities or in case of We get very low wages and at times
equal marks in competition. not being paid at all.
Being a psychosocially disabled man
Article: 19 equals to being no man at all in this
society. You are neither a child nor a
In case of necessity and only due to
woman but just a useless mad
interest of employment, a disabled
something.’ (Male – age 36, married
person shall be entitled to a conducive
unemployed)
employment environment that does not
detract the nature of his or her ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
disability. ‘I look for a job like others but I rarely
Article: 20 get employed, where I get it at times it
comes as an act of benevolence on
An Order of the Minister in Charge of the part of one who gives it to me and
labour in his or her attributions shall yet I work like others and at times
determine the modalities of facilitating more than they do simply because
the disabled persons in matters related losing a job hits me harder than those I
to access to employment opportunities work with and therefore I try hard to
impress my employer.
. I have met outright rejection- without
even testing my capability while others
RESPONSES BY INDIVIDUALS ON
are either interviewed or simply
THE SUBJECT OF EMPLOYMENT: employed.
‘None can employ me since they say I am There are many problems including
Mad. I only survive on handouts. But when sickness, not being paid and worst of
I am stable, I am very strong and I help all being discriminated against while at
people carry their luggage and other the work place.’(Male – age 40,
heavy things in a local market. At times married, three children, unemployed)
they give me food or promise to pay me ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
later which they don’t do at most times.’

27

‘I work in shop where I get paid 10,000 decided to quit before I could make
RWF/ Month and it is my friend who many enemies.
got me the job. Before this I used to I never looked for any other job since
work as a house girl on a less salary. then.
When I suffered from this disease, I Fellow employees mocked me and the
was working as a house girl I was then employer used this as an excuse for
replaced and chased away it took me not paying me when I wanted my
some time to get another job. wages so it made me quit the job.’
I am worried that if I get a mental crisis (Male – age 49, married, four children,
I might be chased from the job unemployed)
sometimes I close the Shop and go to ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
the hospital to look for the medicine
and I get worried that that will also be ‘Ever since I got this illness, people
a basis for losing my job.’ (Female – don’t respect me. I tried so many times
age 19, single, no family, employed) to look for a job but I could not get one.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ I now participate in NOUSPR’s women
basket weaving group.
‘I used to work as a house constructor At times people would make empty
and this type of job is usually done in promises to me. I would follow up on
cooperation with other constructors, their promises but in the end they
but since when I got this illness my would tell me that they had no job.
fellow workmates isolated me, they no In the group where we weave
longer call me for any work. handcrafts, I have not met any
Employers don’t trust me; they don’t problem; instead, we share our illness
accept that I can do their work so they experiences and when one has not
simply ignore my requests to work for taken her drugs, we remind each other
them. (I suffer) Mockery and verbal when one has to take her drugs. If we
harassment.’ (Male –age 37, married, would get market and be able to get
six children, unemployed) some good income; I would not think
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ of looking for a job somewhere
else.’(Female –age 33, married, three
‘I have not tried to search for a job. I children, unemployed)
only take care of my ill child.’ (Female ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
–age 42, married, six children,
unemployed)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

‘I meet challenges here and there
because a number of people know my
condition and because of my low level
of education I can’t easily be employed
by any one.
I have been rejected and have never
had a job.’ (Female – age 33, married,
3 children, unemployed)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Craft display at EXPO

‘I once worked at a certain building site
but I soon started getting into problems ‘I used to dig in other peoples gardens
with other workers because of my low for money or for food, but I was
level of anger management skills, I continually underpaid or even at times
28

never paid at all. I decided not to get ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
any other type of the job and started
digging for myself; when I am not (This interviewee was in crisis when
seriously ill that is the type of the job the interviewer arrived and her sister
that I do and that’s where we get our answered for her) ‘She has not looked
livelihood. for any job and I don’t approve of her
Since digging is not the type of job that looking for one because she is
is always contested for by many incapable.’ (The person referred to is
people, I never got any problem being female – age 19, single, lives with her
given somewhere to dig for some one. sister and her niece)
I could not be paid, when I got the ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
payment it would be less than what I had
worked for.’ (Female – age 42, married, ‘I can’t work because of my health and
six children, unemployed) I therefore don’t look for jobs.’ (Female
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ – age 56, widow, lives with the children
and grandchildren)
‘I am resented wherever I go looking ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
for a Job and as a result I have given
up looking for one.’ (Female – age 33, I am a cultivator, and I don’t meet such
single, lives with mother, unemployed) problems (as looking for a job)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ (Female – age 43, married with
children, self employed)
‘I try to go where they don’t know me ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
but later when they discover that I
have mental illness they chase me a ‘I have not gone to look for any job, but
way that happened to me once. Now, when I am o.k. and have some strength I
where I am working, they have also only dig in my Mom’s garden. I feel I am
learnt of it and although I am ever not capable of working for someone
careful at my job, they think that at one else.’(Male –age 32, single, lives with
mother and sister, unemployed)
time I may not perform well. I try my
level best to do more than others do ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
and sometimes my boss appreciates ‘I have never looked for a job since I
my work. got ill. I am ever weak besides I can’t
Whenever I detect that I am about to afford to be in a noisy
experience a crisis I ask for a environment.’(Male – age 51, married,
permission and go to the hospital for four children, unemployed)
drugs or when I don’t have money I go
home and sleep until I calm down.
I lie about my health issues because I PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL AND
know if they find out they won’t allow PUBLIC LIFE:
me to work. At times men would want
first to have sex with me in exchange Article 29 (CRPD)
for employment. I simply meet lots of Participation in political and public
problems. life
I work under the constant fear of being
terminated any time the boss pleases. States Parties shall guarantee to
My co workers also insult me persons with disabilities political rights
indirectly. At times they do it and the opportunity to enjoy them on
intendingly so as to irritate me.’ an equal basis with others, and shall
(Female – age 28, single, lives with undertake to:
siblings, employed)

29

(a) Ensure that persons with There is no article in Rwandan Law
disabilities can effectively and fully that relates to a positive inclusion
participate in political and public life on of people with disabilities in public
an equal basis with others, directly or life. There is however a very clear
through freely chosen representatives, order barring certain people from
including the right and opportunity for participating in elections for the
persons with disabilities to vote and be National Council for People with
elected, inter alia, by: Disability (NCPD) in Rwanda:

(i) Ensuring that voting procedures,  The Chairman of the Electoral
facilities and materials are appropriate, Commission's rule No.
accessible and easy to understand 003/2011 of 12/02/2011 (in
and use; kinyarwanda) says that the
mentally disabled whose mental
(ii) Protecting the right of persons with status is defined by a certified
disabilities to vote by secret ballot in doctor will never be allowed to
elections and public referendums stand or vote in the disability
without intimidation, and to stand for structures.
elections, to effectively hold office and  The NEC Chairman’s order
perform all public functions at all levels served as a ban to persons with
of government, facilitating the use of psychosocial disabilities to
assistive and new technologies where participate in the 2011 electoral
appropriate; processes and in political
participation in general.
(iii) Guaranteeing the free expression  As a result of this order, among
of the will of persons with disabilities the 18200 persons representing
as electors and to this end, where people with disability in
necessary, at their request, allowing administrative structures, there
assistance in voting by a person of is nobody representing the
their own choice; mentally disabled category.

(b) Promote actively an environment in
which persons with disabilities can
effectively and fully participate in the RESPONSES FROM INDIVIDUALS
conduct of public affairs, without ON THE SUBJECT OF
discrimination and on an equal basis PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL AND
with others, and encourage their PUBLIC LIFE:
participation in public affairs, including:
‘I have not (voted). I don’t know
(i) Participation in non-governmental anything about elections.’ (Male –
organizations and associations age51, married with four children,
concerned with the public and political unemployed but cultivates his own
life of the country, and in the activities piece of land)
and administration of political parties;
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
(ii) Forming and joining organizations
of persons with disabilities to represent ‘I voted in the last presidential
persons with disabilities at elections but could not vote for NCPD
international, national, regional and because I got mentally ill.’ (Male age
local levels.

30

27, single and currently lives in an me. I vote during the national elections
institution) on all levels but I can’t be voted for.’
(Female – age 49, married
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ unemployed)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘I have not participated in the elections ‘I do vote whenever there are
concerning people with disabilities; elections. Yes. I voted (in the elections
people with mental illness have always for NCPD).’ (Male –age 32, single,
been sidelined, even in the disability lives with mother and seven siblings,
movement. But now that we have employed in a restaurant)
organizations like NOUSPR I think our ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
votes are also going to count in the
next round of elections , that is if ‘I have a voting card but it is my sister
enough advocacy is done and the who votes for me. Local leaders say
electoral law prohibiting us from voting that I know nothing and therefore can’t
is abolished and we will therefore be vote.’ (Female –age 51, widow, lives
considered and be mobilized for with her sister, her own two children
voting.’ (Male – age 36, married and her sister’s four children)
unemployed) ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘Whenever I am not experiencing the
‘In 2010 I participated in the elections crisis I go voting.’ (Female – age 43,
of people with disabilities. ‘(Male – age married with three children,
56, lives with his wife and six children) unemployed)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘I went to vote but I was refused to and ‘I always follow elections and I vote,
someone had to vote for me although however, I did not vote in the elections
it was not my wish.’ (Male – age 51, of people with disabilities simply
married with six children, unemployed) because I don’t feel disabled. To me,
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ mine is illness like any other person
‘Yes I did vote (in the NCPD elections). can suffer from malaria, or any other
But I can tell you these elections were curable disease. ‘(Female – age 28,
not transparent. People with single, lives with siblings, employed)
psychosocial disabilities were ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
marginalized. I had also wanted to be
voted and I had voters who had ‘I do vote whenever there are
supported my candidature but was elections. Yes, I voted.’ (in the NCPD
eliminated by the authorities on the elections )
basis of my educational level. This was ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
unfair since the requirement of a
senior level education was only ‘I never went there.’ (to the election for
directed to us.’ (Female – age 49, NCPD)
married with five children, ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
unemployed)
‘I do vote like any other people (but) I
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
did not.’ (vote in the election for
‘I once contested in women’s council NCPD)
elections in my region but was
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
dropped at the last moment on the
charge of being unfit. This enraged

31

‘I am not allowed to be elected or to cultural activities, in accessible
do anything serious with the backing of formats;
the legal system in other words the
laws discriminate against me. (c) Enjoy access to places for cultural
I do vote but I cannot stand for any performances or services, such as
office because the law does not allow theatres, museums, cinemas, libraries
me. and tourism services, and, as far as
I never voted for that (the NCPD) and possible, enjoy access to monuments
it is my first time to learn of it.’ (Female and sites of national cultural
– age 33, married, three children, importance.
unemployed)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 2. States Parties shall take appropriate
measures to enable persons with
‘I do vote. I did not vote in these ones disabilities to have the opportunity to
(NCPD) because I never got informed, develop and utilize their creative,
I learnt about the existence of the artistic and intellectual potential, not
council long after the elections.’ only for their own benefit, but also for
(Female – age 42, married, six the enrichment of society.
children, unemployed)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 3. States Parties shall take all
appropriate steps, in accordance with
‘When I am not under serious health international law, to ensure that laws
crisis, I go voting but my vote has to be protecting intellectual property rights
cast by someone else. I never voted do not constitute an unreasonable or
during the NCPD because by the time, discriminatory barrier to access by
I was sick.’ (Female – age 32, lives persons with disabilities to cultural
with family, unemployed) materials.

4. Persons with disabilities shall be
entitled, on an equal basis with others,
PARTICIPATION IN CULTURAL LIFE, to recognition and support of their
RECREATION, LEISURE AND specific cultural and linguistic identity,
SPORT: including sign languages and deaf
culture.
Article 30 (CRPD)
Participation in cultural life, 5. With a view to enabling persons with
recreation, leisure and sport disabilities to participate on an equal
basis with others in recreational,
1. States Parties recognize the right of leisure and sporting activities, States
persons with disabilities to take part on Parties shall take appropriate
an equal basis with others in cultural measures:
life, and shall take all appropriate
measures to ensure that persons with (a) To encourage and promote the
disabilities: participation, to the fullest extent
possible, of persons with disabilities in
(a) Enjoy access to cultural materials mainstream sporting activities at all
in accessible formats; levels;
(b) Enjoy access to television (b) To ensure that persons with
programmes, films, theatre and other disabilities have an opportunity to

32

organize, develop and participate in Article: 24
disability-specific sporting and An order of the Minister in charge of
recreational activities and, to this end, Sports shall determine the modalities
encourage the provision, on an equal of facilitating the disabled persons in
basis with others, of appropriate matters related to participation in
instruction, training and resources; activities of culture, entertainment and
sports.
(c) To ensure that persons with
disabilities have access to sporting,
recreational and tourism venues; RESPOSES FROM INDIVIDUALS ON
THE SUBJECT OF PARTICIPATION
(d) To ensure that children with IN CULTURAL LIFE, RECREATION,
disabilities have equal access with LEISURE AND SPORT:
other children to participation in play,
recreation and leisure and sporting ‘I am not accepted by my community
activities, including those activities in and I cannot be considered in such
the school system; opportunities even when they are
weddings in the neighbourhood I am
not allowed to stand nearby and
(e) To ensure that persons with
watch.’ (Female – age 28, single, lives
disabilities have access to services
with her two children and four siblings,
from those involved in the organization
unemployed)
of recreational, tourism, leisure and
sporting activities. ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
There are four articles in the Rwandan ‘Authorities do not care about me,
Law on Disability relating to when I am in unstable state, people
participation in cultural life, leisure, hurl stones on me even when some
recreation and sport. officials are there and they don’t
question them why I am being abused.
Article: 21 Leaders and the led share the same
Centres that cater for the disabled attitude towards people with
persons and educational institutions in psychosocial disabilities. They all
general, are required to have special maintain that we are mad people and
grounds meant for culture, therefore useless. One time a friend of
entertainment and sports and trained mine who is also mentally ill
tutors. mistakenly took someone else’s pile of
water when they were fetching water
Article: 22 at a well and a leader who was by
Disabled persons are entitled to the passing bet her so had so that she fell
right of joining specialised associations down despite her pleading that she
related to sports, culture and took it by mistake because even hers
entertainment. had the same colour.

Article: 23 Neighbours who know my mental
A disabled person shall be facilitated in disability always say that I am mad
matters related to participation in and they have nothing to do with me.
sports, films, drama and other They just see me as useless. They
entertainment. don’t expect any service from me and I
can’t get any service from them.

33

Whenever I get into a problem with invite me. I am not informed of
someone and I try to take the matter to community meetings and most times I
the authorities- they don’t listen to me don’t participate. They take me as a
they simply ignore me saying that I am useless person.
a mad person.’ (Female – age 66, lives Because of the above attitude I don’t
with grandchild, unemployed) get attracted to the gatherings, I feel
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ embarrassed when people think that I
am shaming them by being where they
‘Nothing of entertainment that I have are. I decide to remain alone.’ (Female
ever enjoyed here, sporting is for the –age 28, single, lives with siblings,
rich people and the children. One employed)
would only enjoy that during special ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
occasions like when there is a wedding
or celebrating birth days but my ‘I don’t interact with other people or
neighbours can’t invite me and if I official bodies; my family prohibits me
happen to be there they don’t respect to meet with people as they say that I
me as they do with others; even when embarrass them. Besides, the public is
they are serving some food or drinks also not welcoming; I am called bad
they ignore me and would like to names and insulted even children may
consider me for leftovers. stare at me and eventually start to
tease me in front of everybody. It is
My child was denied a scholarship better when I am by myself. I once
although he deserved it. After her approached authorities and told them
primary living exams she was among my problems but when my family knew
the three first in the village and she it I was reprimanded sharply. Even
was supposed to be considered for a The authorities I had approached
scholarship but she was replaced with never showed up for any solution.
another one and denied her From then on I decided to keep quite.’
opportunity simply because they (Male – age unknown, lives with father
overlook me. and his stepmother and his siblings,
unemployed)
I have been abused many times for
instance a certain man attempted to ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
rape me recently but I overpowered ‘No one invites me in a party or any
him. I live in fear of being raped any other ceremony. In fact I have never
time because I have no protection and been invited by any one in my life time.
once that happens to me I can’t report I only live with my family. Otherwise,
it anywhere because none could before marriage my life was used to
believe me knowing that I am “ a mad” loneliness. ‘I get isolated even when I
woman. Even the officials abuse us by force myself and go to the meetings I
denying us our rights.’ (Female – age sense that I am not welcomed and it
44, six children, unemployed) discourages me from interacting with
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ them. I requested registration for my
association but I got ignored by the
‘With our neighbours, it is a different authorities, every time I go to their
case, those who know (because I try to offices they tell me to go home and
hide it) isolate me, even those who are come back another day and so on and
supposed to be my friends- the age so forth. (Male – age 40, married,
mates, don’t consider my existence three children, unemployed)
when they have parties they don’t
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
34

‘In this village there are not many on their experiences. What came over
activities, but even if it happens to be I very strongly was that whilst the
don’t get informed. I am not even original cause of their mental illness,
invited in the weddings in the on many occasions, was due to the
neighbourhood.’ (Female – age 60’ sexual or physical abuse of women,
lives with one child and two particularly for The Genocide
grandchildren, unemployed) survivors, gender and other disability
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ issues were not now of most concern.
The issue is quite simply that all
‘No recreation, no leisure and sporting people with psychosocial disability,
activities that we go in. We are not regardless of gender or additional
even invited in the neighbour’s disability are treated badly.
weddings.’ (Male - age 51, married,
four children, unemployed) This report did not look at the causes
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ of the originating mental illness and for
the purpose of this report the original
‘I like sporting and leisure too much at cause itself, whilst often very
times I invite myself where such disturbing and important in its own
activities are taking place. The only right, is not pertinent to what the
problem is that I would fight with my report is saying. This report is not
friends when we had any disagreement.’ about past events but what life is like
(Male – age 27, lives in an institution, for people now. There is other work
unemployed)
available to consult on the causes of
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ mental illness in Rwanda.

‘I don’t like noisy things so I avoid Having said that gender and additional
going where many people are. I avoid disability were not the major concern
people because I know their treatment for the majority of participants, there
to me would not be positive.’ (Female were individual experiences where
– age 19, no family, lives with friend, people did report that their experience
unemployed) was coloured by gender/other disability
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ issues. We have taken the view that as
these issues were important to those
‘I don’t participate in any of the above individuals and because of that they
since people whom I would be sharing should be reported for the sake of
with the joy of participation do not completeness.
welcome me in their midst.’ (Male – ‘Being a woman in addition to
age 42, married unemployed) experiencing psychological disability has
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ negatively influenced how I get dealt with
in the legal system. I once sold my cow,
but l immediately realized that it was
GENDER / DISABILITY SPECIFIC bought at a very low price. The buyers
RESPONSES UNDER ALL were still standing with me in a market
place and they had never paid me the full
HEADINGS: amount, when I told them that I had
changed my mind and tried to hand over
Under each heading of the interview their money, they instead through the
schedule the participants were asked remaining half to me and took my cow
whether or not they felt that being a forcefully; when I appealed to the
man or a woman or if having any authorities to have my cow returned and
additional disability had had an effect give them back their money, I was ignored

35

simply because I am a woman and “mad”’ are laws to protect women, they are
(Female – age 66, lives with grandchild, not respected more especially
unemployed) concerning women with mental
disabilities.’ (Female – age 44)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘Every time a man has certain
‘We are not respected and that’s why
responsibilities that he has to fulfil and
we don’t get paid even after working.
when perform accordingly, that is
Men are somehow respected than
when one could feel that he is really a
women. And when one (a woman)
man. But when you are a man who
gets sick whilst employed, they don’t
does not provide for your family, you
care about your health it only becomes
lose your children and you are not
a good excuse for chasing you out of
capable of looking for them, where can
the job without any payment but for
you generate the ability to follow any
men, they are feared and paid first
thing attentively? I think if I were not a
before they are chased away.’ (Female
man, I would not feel guilty of failure to
– age 44)
care for my family and then I would
have nothing to worry about.’ (Male – ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
age 42, married unemployed) ‘Of course yes! Being a woman in
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ addition to my mental illness is a very
big set back to my participation in
‘My biggest hindrance is my health community matters given the attitudes
situation. Being a woman might have of the community about women and
its additional problems but I think those “mad” people.’ (Female – age 44)
ones are bearable. (Female – age 28)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘I only give attention to my health. I
‘No. Such problems used to exist in don’t know if some people disrespect
the past but they are not as much to me because of my sex. I am only
day. When I have another kind of concerned with the label of being
illness I use my medical insurance “mad”. (Female – age 28)
card and I get treated like others. ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
(Female – age 66)’ ‘Yes. For instance certain employers who
demand sex in exchange for a job have
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ made me miss many opportunities and
while at work usual phobias about women
‘I think it (being a woman) has are also experienced.’ (Female –age 28)
because if I were a man no one would ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
graze his or her animals in my gardens
repeatedly without fearing that he or ‘I think the big issue is my mental
she may meet the consequences.’ health gender issues might be there
(Female – age 66) but according to me they are
negligible.’ (Female – age 28)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘When I look around, I find out that
‘Very much so, as I told you and as
there are certain rights that I don’t get
you can hear me speaking, I am
simply because I am a woman. Men
almost dumb. Some teachers who are
with the same disability are a bit more
not compassionate towards me, don’t
respected than women. Although there

36

make an effort to listen to my ‘Whether I am sick or not I know that
questions as a result they don’t explain the family responsibilities falls on me
to me. M y dumbness is an injury to as a man; the education, my
the wound.’ (Male – age 17) healthcare and the general welfare of
my family is my responsibility as a
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ man. Add that responsibility to my
mental status- and it only worsens my
‘At times I feel sad when I use the little situation.’ (Male – age 49)
money I have for mental illnesses
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
while there are other family
responsibilities that I must perform as ‘I think to some extent yes, I married
a man.’ (Male – age 40) when I was young and it seems that is
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ all I had been prepared for. My parents
never thought any thing for me beyond
‘Yes, because I work in construction getting dowry.’ (Female – age 39)
field, and because of my disabled leg I
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
am always not the first choice of an
employer. And once I get sick while ‘Yes; my inability to speak fluently has
employed I am not given an advance influenced my zeal to communicate my
on my salary. This hampers my going thoughts to people.’ (Female – age 44)
to the hospital for treatment.’ (Male – ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
age 40)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
‘Yes. I was stopped from schooling
‘Being a widow and a mentally ill due to an arranged marriage, If I was a
woman plus my other disability hinders man, it would have been different.’
me in achieving anything; I don’t (Female – age 32)
access something do for money easily ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
and that means that I don’t get money
for our medication and our other ‘Yes people disrespect me not only
necessities as well.’ (Female – age 60) because of my illness but also the fact
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ that I am a woman adds to their
disrespect of me.’ (Female – age 27)
‘Yes, I am not respected as it is with ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
other men.’ (Male –age 51)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ ‘Being a woman in itself is like a
disability to some people in my society
‘Sure. You know most of these local everything one says is not accepted or
leaders are men who after work gather you get criticized before you are even
in the local bars; and if one wants a listened to.’ (Female – age 27)
favour from them, one has to meet ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
them in bars and share with them
while planning their deals and since I ‘I am a single parent, as a woman I am
am not the type of a man who can be supposed to be fully engaged with
admitted in their society, then I can’t their welfare but when I am ill I don’t
access their justice and therefore my get any one to live with them this
manliness proves nothing in that impacts heavily on my healthcare.’
direction.’ (Male – age 36) (Female – age 56)
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

37

‘Yes being a woman in addition to my time, I get treated like any other guest
illness, calls for performing duties of a but when I say that I have come to
woman at home and this leaves with visit the person with mental illness and
me little time to concentrate on other that I have also experienced the same
thing like education.’ (Female – age problem but now I am strong, people
50) do not want to talk ..And I go on
describing what we do at NOUSPR,
my role as a volunteer...and the idea of
looking forward to get a relative of this
person join us to help him out of
ART 5: ‘ OUR OWN

P
Isolation and misery, then I notice a
VOICE’ change on their faces; they nod their
heads just like to let me leave their
RECORDED TESTIMONIES place in peace, but in total
OF PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOSOCIAL disagreement with my Idea, I try to
DISABILITY AT FIVE FOCUS / ignore the notice and fix an
ENQUIRY GROUPS DURING appointment for the next visit, this time
FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2012 IN I may find there is nobody at home and
RWANDA (nothing has been changed the sick person is not anywhere to be
in these testimonies or added, or seen, they will give excuses that they
subtracted) got abrupt tasks to accomplish as they
ask ”what had you brought for your
fellow?” “I hope you have come with
some money for us to take him to the
hospital” they say this as to worn me
not to come back without any material
assistance, that If I don’t have anything
material to give to them then I
shouldn’t west my time coming back
again.... Others ask me if NOUSPR
provides medicine for “madness”
others get open enough to tell me that
they cannot get time to west on
Kigali Focus Group
somebody who cannot improve... Hear
about their patient to join NOUSPR
when they know that there is a group
I am 54 years, I am a user myself, I of persons who care for him they feel
volunteer to NOUSPR and I conduct they are relieved of this burden. 
home visits, many times I get to
persons who are in mental crisis, I
accompany them to Ndera psychiatric I am 38 years old I am a member of
hospital and at times I convince their NOUSPR, I have been with
relatives to go with me. What I have psychosocial disability for over since
observed is that situations of a person my child hood, and I had a parent who
suffering from mental illness can be had the same problem at the early
deteriorated because of stigma and age. My two children live with mental
lack of basic needs; some homes are illness too. When I was at school in
also very bad for people with mental primary, my child hood was a shame, I
illness, others just don’t care about had nobody to care about me, people
them. when I visit a home for the first could have all their funs on me, they

38

could abuse me… sometimes ignore even house maid. I tried three
me when other children are taking their psychiatric facilities but it was hard for
meals, I was forced to drop out of me to find a psychiatrist who can pay
school and started wandering around attention to what I am saying... I think
the places .. when I grew up like .16 psychiatrist themselves are lacking
years old all the way from Gitarama l capacity to treat persons with mental
to wonder around, when I reached illness – but I can appreciate that now
Kigali I met a man who was training a there are there psychiatric facilities
group of young people how to sing and and one can approach them when
play a Guitar, I asked him to join and seeking medical treatment... But they
he accepted, I was very good at guitar are really the most careless people I
and he liked me very much he could have ever met; I get exploited every
dress me up like a musician and is the time, when I do some work... I am
one who took me to a psychiatric trained in electrical engineering , but
hospital when I got into mental health when I do some body’s work they don’t
crisis, he made me feel sweetness in pay me to me the right amount which I
life.. But he was killed during the have worked for, sometimes I buy
1994(genocide). He left me with that spare parts , I many times go to report
confidence that I can think of getting these people to local authorities, but
married, that is how I got a home I the leaders think that I have no
have got four children, though two of capacity to present my case and so
them are suffering from mental illness they ask some other people to explain
.. We are surviving, I go to some on my behalf and this disturbs me a
Hotels, play music and they give me lot, when go to psychiatric hospital and
some money, some of the clients give I mention that I have come for drugs,
me gifts and they like me when I play nurses begin dictating on me as if I
Nkurunziza’s music ehehe! If it was not am a kindergarten lad – I have my
for the stoma on people with mental masters in engineering but these
illness that when the Hotel managers people tend to take me as if I am not
learn of my history they begin refusing trained at all.
me a chance to play I would be doing
well. But now at times we can sleep
without food for my wife spends much
I am 45, I was born in rich family my
time on these two children and I go out
village is just a few kilometres away
hunting... Sometimes I come home
from Gitarama town, our father left us
without any thing. Which I attribute to
with property such that everybody from
that stigma. my family is leading a better life. I
myself was such hard working, I had
two motor cycles, a boutique, a land
I am happy that I can now express and a big house just few kilometres
myself, but the questionnaire will not away from the town, and this is where I
let me say what I can say if it was not married my wife. When I fell on an
there. There is no space in the accident I stayed in a hospital for over
questionnaire where I can write all I six months over a damaged brain.
would wish to say, But there are very when I came back home only to find
relevant questions about my life, a my wife left and up to now I can’t tress
question about who I live with, I live her where about. All my property were
alone in my house, it is very rare for sold off; money on my accounts were
Rwandans of my age to live alone, my withdrawn and taken by my wife, The
case is a special one, there is no one land, house and motor cycles were

39

taken by my brothers and I use to see
my house hold materials in their
families, in my young brother’s house I am a member of NOUSPR , I am
who got married when I was in the happy that our names are not going to
Hospital there are my chairs and my be mentioned while reporting on this
TV they only changed cushions for discussion, I want to talk about our
chairs. I always ask them why my human rights, there is no law, there is
property were sold off when they are no policy that is in favour of us. I,
well aware that I was not dead , they myself participated in the disability
say to me with guilty that they were elections I campaigned and won at the
attending to me; paying the hospital cell level, at the time of taking an oath,
bills and for my food while in the a group of people did not want me to
hospital .. “Don’t you know that you take it they sent me for some papers
were dead? If it was not your little from another place and on coming
property which we sold and added on back others had already finished
our own money you wouldn’t have taking an oath. when I insisted that I
survived”. My land is now owned by must take it too, they tried to calm me
my big brother and he claims he paid down saying that after all at our level
back to other persons who gave them an oath is a mere formality and so I
money to pay for my hospital bills shouldn’t be worried of not taking it,
which is doubling the actual price of that what matters is the elections
my land. When I came back from the which I have already won. Few days
hospital I said I want my property back later they refused me entering the
and they used the local leaders to say council meeting on grounds that I did
that if I can pay back for what they not take an oath therefore I am not a
spend over my accident I can regain councillor and I do not have the
my property, I went for the courts of capacity to represent other people with
law, I asked our relatives to intervene disabilities, yet they had already
but to no Vail. My elder child stays with lobbed for another person who is even
her grandmother-my aunt, far in the without any disability saying that she is
village; she goes to a poor school, she a parent with a child with intellectual
is 18 years now and she knows disability, I reported this case and
everything about the confiscation of others to the Human Rights
our property and aunt whenever she Commission of Rwanda with all the
sees me she just cries because they evidences and facts but they kept
know that my brothers betrayed me. tossing me, sometimes they could tell
Now I cannot even visit my children in me that they do not represent persons
Bukavu where the mother took them. with disabilities, sometimes they could
tell me that I should present my case
to the ombudsman.. Use just tossing
me... You see!! You can see how
much we are discriminated against,
how our rights are being abused on
broad day right- my case was timely
reported, NOUSPR had helped me to
gather the facts on the ground, but
was just rejected by the competent
authorities.

Products made by NOUSPR groups

40

I am not a member of NOUSPR; it is me when I got sick and we had just
my first time to hear about an had our 5th child, he took me to the
organization of the mentally disabled. psychiatric hospital and abandoned
and I am happy that you have thought me there, when I came back home he
of organizing us in one group. As a took me to my parents saying that he
person with mental illness, I have cannot manage my sickness, a few
been here for several years, in days later he got another wife, and the
isolation; nobody has ever asked me rest of the children came to my father’s
to come with me in any type of the house. I got more stressed because of
meetings. I am now 26 years old, I the situation but my mum was very
started by staying awake during night; supportive she tried to convince my
many nights without sleeping at all, father to continue taking me to Ndera
later I begun hearing voices, later on I and buy me some psychiatric drugs, I
started shouting and screaming during got a little bit improved and started
the night I used to see people working to support parents feed my
attacking me with machetes, I children, sooner the genocide took
remember people tying me with my place and all my parents and my three
bed and lock me inside my room, a children were killed, brothers were
day later they took me to Ndera killed, relatives were killed.. I survived
psychiatric Hospital, I was injected by the Marcy of God and my two
with a tranquillizer, I think I slept for a children also survived but I learned of
half a day, I woke up only to find I am their survival three years later after the
laid on a piece of a tent on cemented genocide... I had got really out of self
floor ,in a non-ventilated room there control, but those who were with my
was no living voice around, for several children were believers, when they
hours there was nobody to call for saw me they took me to church and
help; although I was dizzy, I wanted prayed for me, with the happiness of
something to eat or drink, I banged the seeing my survived children I got back
door for several times but there was no to self control, they build us a house
person coming to my rescue, it was where I live with my children today
like I am in a prison. I fell asleep again now they all go to school and we love
and when I woke up, near me, I saw a each other so much, but we are poor
plate full of rice mixed with beans and because when I work for people they
a mug of water I ate and drank and don’t want to pay me, when I report
stayed awake thought the night for I them to local authorities they just don’t
was feeling cold; I covered myself with pay attention to my complaints they
a single bed sheet and it wasn’t say I am mad . I put on rugs because I
enough to protect my body against the do odd jobs; I clean people’s
coldness of that cemented floor. I was compounds, I weed for them or
numb but had a lot of feelings……., I anything that I can afford to do for a
felt more depressed than ever I wished pay I do but when people see me
I can commit suicide. I stayed there for putting on these rugs they say “mad
some weeks but later on I escaped woman” which makes my children very
due to conditions of living which were angry, they said “mother stop those
extremely hard. odd jobs, we are now grown ups, we
can’t stand the mock we experience
from other youths” but they still go to
school they can’t make money, so I
I am 32 years old I live with my two
continue doing same jobs. Recently
children at home, others. our house is
my daughter found me shouting with a
very old, it is licking, my husband left

41

neighbour who had asked me to clean to HIV/AIDS, I left the job and went to
her compound for a pay of 1000frw, live with my friends but life was very
when I finished she refused to pay me. hard, I got very sick until some people
I was angry with her and shouted at belonging to a church which I do not
her when my daughter was seeing, remember came and took me to
when we got home she was crying she Hospital. I live on drugs but and I visit
said she is going to leave school so Ndera psychiatric hospital 4 days a
that she can work for the family on my months. A stigma is high and feels
behalf I felt sorry and cried too. When like committing suicide, I get
I get stressed I get the revelations of humiliated every day.
1994 genocide, and cry for a very long
time.
I am 25 years old, I got trauma I was I am 30 years old. Me, the problem I
13, we were many girls living in an have is with medical treatment, these
orphanage and we experienced a lot of days I fear going to Hospitals because
abuses, at our matrons started selling whenever the psychiatrists see me
us to men from outside and they they inject me with a drug which
warned us not to discuss this issue makes me weak, they are very strong
with anybody. Most of us were known they make me dizzy, they make my
survivors of genocide, they could sell arms and legs numb. Last time I was
us to the suspected genocide admitted to Ndera psychiatric hospital,
perpetrators., I remember a day when a nurse injected me straight away,
my matron called me and handed me even without saying good morning to
over to a big man like the age of my me, and he immediately left, an hour
father, he took me from orphanage later another nurse entered and she
with his car in a house some where I also inject me, I tried to explain how I
thought he is going to kill me he raped was injected in an hour before but she
me several times, and after he gave did not listen to me, she injected me
me a lot of coins, he told me If I with the same medicine for the second
mention any thing about him he will kill time. Why did she not ask her
me. Then he brought me and handed colleague if I am lying or not and she
me back to the matron and I was left me without any thing to eat. It was
crying with pain, the matron smiled at an over doze which were forced into
him and I saw him giving money to my body by these so called
her. The matron asked me what professionals and it made me very
happened to me and I told her weak/ for the last four months I no
everything, then she asked “how much longer carry heavy things on my head,
money did he give to you” I showed I cannot pull anything or wash my
the coins to her and she took them all clothes. You know I used to work in
she ordered me not to mention any markets; sell fruits and vegetables so
thing to my body, she kept giving us to walking the distance from where we
different men until we came to know buy to where we sell has become a big
that we are many who are used in that problem for me because of these
way, later five of us decided to escape, drugs, I have started shacking all over
the life outside wasn’t easy either but my body, I am not sure whether the
somehow I managed to work in a drugs administered to me by these
restaurant where I used to earn some nurses are actually the right drugs, I
money, I soon felt sick and I went to have never had a chance to tell the
hospital where they said I am positive story of my sickness to any doctor.

42

Me, I don’t participate in elections, I laughing at me. I turned my back and
don’t understand this question of went away and from there on, I feel
elections it is a complicated one, and I nervous when one talks about
remember people pushing me back on elections.
the grounds “I am not clean”. In the
past presidential elections when I
heard that people are going to vote, I
I got mental illness when I was 15,
was very enthusiastic that I am going
now I am 41, I have 6 children and
to vote for Kagame because I love him
two others whom I adopted after 1994
very much. I went to the polling station
so we are 9 in our house, When I was
near our home in my cell, but I was not
taken to Ndera psychiatric hospital my
dirty at all! Yes, all my clothes ware old
the children failed to go back to school,
but not dirty; I had tried to wash them
when I came back my house and small
they didn’t look nice but were now
business were in ruins, people had
washed. I washed my body too. .. I
stolen all the food in my gardens there
had no any other cloth to put on. I
was none to care for my children and
always put on clothes that I get from
the picture I got when I came back
well-wishers because I have no Job.
home was so devastating, poverty
so I decided to go, and I knew who to
doubled because of my sickness and
give my vote to, I knew I will give my
hardships were more and more, and
vote to Kagame because he stopped
the neighbours were shunning me
Genocide, but when I got at the
away, I could approach everybody for
polling station the police man at the
assistance but would shun me or
entrance asked me to avail my identity
sometimes lie to me. I saw that mental
card to him, he quickly examined it and
illness is the worst illness you can
took it to the girl who was seated on
have, for it de touches one from the
the table at the entrance she checked
real life. I used to feel ashamed of
with the voter’s register and she said
myself it was like I stole some thing
she can’t see my name, The police
from my neighbours because I
man came back to me saying I am not
developed self stigma I could not go
on the list of those who are supposed
back to church or in parties. It is only
to vote from that polling station so I
when I came to NOUSPR that I met
should go back, I have been to this cell
many people again and feel free to tell
for over 10 years now how can I fail to
stories about my life.
appear on the list of voters? People
knew that I belong to this cell but this
police man said I am not on the voting
list, I asked them “why, it is over 10 My family is very poor and there are
years since I lived in this cell and I very few of my relatives because most
haven’t left here for any single day, of them got perished in 1994. I am a
how come I am not on the list of hard working woman, I managed to
people who are supposed to vote?” build my own house and I have a small
When I a little bit insisted this shop that I am running with a cousin,
policeman pushed me out... He didn’t when time for my mental breakdown
explain anything to me. He instead comes, I hear the voice of my mother
kicked my back saying that I am crying and calling me for her rescue,
disturbing the peaceful voters and that then many other voices follow then the
he is going to take me to prison if I try revelations of what transpired in our
to shout any more, people were place when killers invaded our
looking on and some were just home..there I stand up and go, when

43

my cousin is not around to stop me be woken up by the police patrol which
from going I just move for several had surrounded me, asking me to
kilometres, crying, I don’t shout and I identify myself, they asked for an
can’t tell anybody who asks me why I Identity card and I didn’t have it, I
am crying. the follow of my tears may argued that because of mental illness
just be voluntary and I keep whip them my father refused to look out for me
with my cloths but as time goes on I and he is the chief of our sector and
begin forgetting everything that I have everybody respects him. When they
been doing, and fail to recognize searched my pocket and found a small
people I am with, at times I see the piece of Bangui they started beating
images of killers and decide to run me up, kicking me all over the body,
away from that place and this is where they broke my leg and my back too,
most of the times people force me to they left me semi- conscious and threw
Ndera psychiatric hospital. Every year me on the road side then they reported
I get admitted like once or twice but I that I was a thief who is disguising as a
hate the way they treat me, the drugs mad person. If it was not for the friends
and how they disregard one’s opinion. of my father who took me to hospital I
would have died.
When I get back home I find it difficult
to interact with neighbours because
they think I am “still mad” and my
business suffers more because I can’t I am 43, I have been mentally ill for
make any deal with anybody who quite a long time, I regularly I visited
knows me. Nobody trusts me other psychiatric facilities around the country
than the cousin who also at times for we lived in many places inside
treats me like a patient but I always tell Rwanda, during early days of my
her not to confuse my situation with illness my family took me to a
that of those who wonder around the traditional healer in Kirehe and I spent
streets. When I want some money 8 days in shrine, every morning the
from other people I use my cousin, for witch doctor would wake me up very
I myself cannot win any body’s trust in early in the morning and make seat on
our village. my knees fix my eyes on sun as it
rises up until it becomes too strong to
Me, I am 29 years old, I get mental watch in it, After there he could let me
breakdown and begin wandering enter the shrine and strip me necked
around the town, I have the medical and then start touching all parts of my
certificate describing my status, I body, smear herbs all over, even on
dropped out of school because mental my private parts at first I wanted to
illness but my family does not support stop him from doing this to me but I
me, my father is very rude to me and feared they would say I am making it
this has exacerbated my situation, at difficult to get healed. Following day he
times I move around the towns of did the same but concentrated most on
Goma and Gisenyi looking for my breasts and private parts and he
something to do to earn an Income, wanted to kiss me, but he saw that I m
when It gets dark before I get home I very conscious of the nonsense he is
just sleep on verandas because I trying to do to me and he politely
know if my father sees me coming he asked me to sleep with him, that he
will beat me or chase me and he will give me the most effective
cannot let me stay around his home, medicine if I follow his orders including
he chases me away. One night I slept sleeping with him but I strongly said no
on a veranda in Gisenyi town, only to to him and continued to tell him that

44

the money he siphoned from my mum suggest that at any time I may get a
was unnecessarily a lot, so I have no mental breakdown and harm myself or
respect for him and I can’t listen to his others. This boss used this to threaten
lies!. When he saw that I can pin him, me that I am not fit for the job, which I
he told my mum that the spirits have should have told him eelier, but in real
revealed to him I have one for the sense he did not want to lose me, he
genocidors –that if they can’t tie me wanted to exploit me using my status
on a tree or chain me it will be worse, so he added more work and reduced
and that they must bring more money my pay, I got angry and threatened
so that he can consult the to leave but later on a second thought
elders/ancestors in a more comfortable came into my mind, because there are
way, otherwise I will run and fall to the lesser chances to get a job, I decided
river and die or commit suicide by tying to work extra hours to compensate the
a lope into my neck and hung myself. a allowance I lost on allegations of
when I heard all this rubbish, I shouted being mentally unfit, I used my
at him and I told him that he is a typical allowances to hire people to till my
thief, However, my family said it is land and I planted pineapples, I knew
because of madness that I can abuse at one time for one reason or another I
a such person who has the powers to will leave that Job and so I looked for
talk to spirits they went ahead and my fellow people with mental illness
chained me and left me there with him! and we got to gather, we formed a
He raped me several times with all the group which now has got 26 bee hives
humiliating wards you can think of, I and a big garden of pineapples. The
lost much weight and I became very, only problem we have is that we
very dirty. My relatives used to bring cannot access loans, there is that
food for two meals a day but wouldn’t stigma that we are mad people
bother to come to the shrine to see my working to gather, but we still have
situation. I tried suicide twice but much hope in our works and we also
failed. This witch was scared of my hope that NOUSPR will support us to
attempts to commit suicide and he make a formal cooperative.
unchained me, took me back to my
mother when I narrated the story to her Me, I will tell you a story about my
she cried round, blamed herself for Education, I got this kind of disability
believing in things that doesn’t work. when I was still in primary, in P. 6 I
She asked me to forgive her. was taken to the psychiatric hospital,
on coming back my teacher refused
me enter his class saying that I will
disrupt peace for other students, I went
It is only God that makes us survive, to the headmaster to complain but he
people doesn’t. None can give you any did not want to help me. I went to the
job, even when you are more than able district education officer, I presented
to do that job. I one time got a job on a my problem. They kept tossing me
building under construction, I worked until I dropped out of school, I stayed
hard and my boss liked my courage, a outside school and kept looking for pet
few days later someone told my boss jobs and helping my mother in some
that I am actually mad, that is why I am cores at home, It has been 4 years
slightly above the average in carrying since I left school but last year I met a
materials from one place to good Samaritan and I rejoined primary
another……… (Placing them in their and I always become the first.
right places in a stalk yard, without any
damage) this man continued to

45

Members of my family does not the administration packed my mattress
understand me, at times I run away and my case into a school van and
from home because of them, they look they took me home… my mother took
at me as a fool, it is very rare for me to me to Ndera psychiatric hospital and I
talk in peace with them, I can’t ask for stayed there for few weeks, when I
something from my own family, they went back to school they refused me a
just scold at me. Sometimes they don’t place, convinced my mother that I
want me to talk when people are should go back home and lets for
listening, when I insist and say “some lengthy of time” yet it was time
something they get embarrassed. for exams I insisted but they refused
Even when I am genuine they just and mum was very much convinced
laugh as though I have defecated over because she believes in people who
my body. I hate my brother who are learned I missed my exams to S.3
always call me names... you see, I am and so I lost a year, when I went to
the oldest in our family but they treat another school they refused me
me like a kindergarten lad, the admission because, when they asked
derogatory wards they talk to me…it why I left my former school, I made a
makes me very uncomfortable and I mistake and tell them I got a mental
feel I would be free that is why, illness. But now I managed to learn
sometimes I just leave home and go tailoring and I am the best among
when even I am not sure of my other tailors in my centre, I have many
destination, I rather live with people customers and they love me, though
who cannot scold at me. At times when I get sick, even if it is malaria
when I leave home I meet strangers they say it is “the other things of mine”
and they beat me or abuse me in any (madness) and at times I find people
way they want, but still one cannot have tampered with my stock saying
resist the pressure, but still I am only they must take their clothes before
happy and free when I come to these they get lost for I may not come back
meetings (NOUSPR meetings). I am to work. It has actually happened to
happy that now my relatives have me twice and now I devised means of
started changing their feelings towards keeping my stock in a place where I
me, Since I, these days come home lock with a pad lock and keep the key
when I am clean and I have some with me so that those who want to
money in my pocket, when I am exploit the situation cannot get the
confident that I can buy food for a chance.
night, they remain with no option ..
Just to respect me. People know that
we’ve got an organization where we
I like going to church because I love
can spend a day while in our own
God but these days I stopped going
issues and they respect that – people
because my friend who used to
may not respect us as individuals, but
support me left, I think she went
they respect our organization. abroad. ushers refuse me to sit where
I like to seat; I like a place where I look
and listen to the quor and the
I am 27, I dropped out of school
preacher, but ushers put me in a
when I had just reached s.2 (senior
corner a bit isolated from the rest of
two) when I got ill, I was at school and
the congregation, and these people
my friend students are the ones who
just heard that I am mentally ill they
notified the school administration that
doesn’t know my situation at all they
“something has gone wrong with me”
can is that I am not dressed in a stylish

46

modern way mainly because of us all?” when they saw that she is
poverty.. Many people who come furious they took my picture and now I
when they are not driving themselves have it.
and are not well dressed don’t receive
a worm welcome in many churches.
One day when I went to church early,
I got strange behaviours when I was
one woman usher said to me that they
13, I could eat all the food in the house
are not going to pray from this church I
and leave nothing for others; I could,
should go back home and prepare for
put on women’s pants or could not
next Sunday I stayed out for a while
sense that two people to gather are
and saw many people coming to pray I
discussing private matters so I could
wondered why this woman didn’t want
stay with them, even when they don’t
me to pray with them, so I stayed out
want to, I could still everything I come
of the church even when service had
a close. People at home begun
started some concerned woman came
harassing me and I became frustrated,
closer to me and asked me why I am
I begun taking drugs. At 15 I left home
still outside, I said “I will stay here and
and joined a gang of street children in
pray from here, God is not only in that
Gisenyi town, I begun sniffing glue and
building, here also I will play and he
fuel. My aunt followed me up and got
will hear me” when I told her what her
me from there and took me to her
colleague talked to me and how they
home and got someone to train me in
have been, for every Sunday
carpentry and joinery, I trained for a
discouraging me to enter that church
month and then she took me to CFJ
she cried and went back in church,
(Centre formation des juenes) or youth
when she came out after service she
vocational training centre, to get
went with me where I stay, she bought
formal training I stayed there and I
me nice clothes and shoes, took me to
finished in carpentry I got a certificate
hair salon and money to give
but my aunt died when I had not got
offertories, people begun to great me
my own capital to begin my own
“”praise God” she asked me what I feel
workshop. I now cannot work for
I can do for the church I said I will be
others because they look down on me
sweeping the church and clean its
and it is very hard for me to follow their
compound, then she requested the
instructions, many times I fight people
church to keep providing for me, I lived
because they want to despise me and
a healthy life when she was around but
when I fight it is only me who they take
when she left the pastor’s wife wanted
to police cells even when I am not the
me to become her house girl and could
one who have provoked the fight, I
not let me attend Sunday services
have been to police cells for several
again which compelled me to leave.
times and this have really destabilized
my plans. I left drug long a go but up to
now they call me a drug addict. I need
I was discriminated against when I help, I need someone to advocate for
wanted to have the national I.D, my me to the police and the society, you
family refused to go with me they said see now I can’t have a loan to begin
what I the National Identity need card my own work shop people here will
for, “it is wastage of resources to give say I will not return the money and the
her a national identity card, what will banks here are occupied by the local
she use it for” but my mother pleaded people who are biased.
for me; she said “isn’t she a Rwandan
like others? Isn’t she entitled to it like

47

I was young when my father got only their families that are responsible
mental illness, he stayed in a hospital for them, however even their families
for a while when he came back they abandon them most of the time and
chained him on a pillar I was stopped you find them wandering on streets.‘
from going to school so that I can stay (DPO)
guarding him while mother have gone
out to look for food. I could bring him a ‘The services are not effective. It is
basin for him to ease himself and I very important to adopt another
could carry a basin to the toilet. approach which necessarily has to
Sometimes he could ask me if I love focus on advocacy for their human
him, one day he heard the news of his rights and access to information (how
brother’s arrest over false allegations to help pwpsd)’ (Umbrella DPO)
that he stall some land from a
’Up to now, other types of disabilities
neighbour’s plot, and he knew that by
are somehow gaining momentum in
the time he was still ok no one would
advocacy about their rights but pwpsd
dare pointing a figure on them when
are still only known as MAD people.
they are to gather, so he cried to the
Institutions with specialized personnel
top of his voice and he pulled the
in all types mental illness should be
chains and broke his right arm, he
established and the advocacy about
refused to eat for good two days later
the illness must be encouraged,
he caught a fever and died. otherwise people with mental illness
will continually be regarded as simply
MAD people.
The atrocities and all forms of abuse
referred to in these testimonies speak Problems are many. When they are
for themselves and should not be under mental crisis children are not
allowed or tolerated in any society but catered for, and most of the times the
especially so when the Government of children are a result of sexual abuses.
Rwanda has made a commitment to You may go to down town in Kigali
the CRPD and its protocols and has especially around Mateus street,
introduced its own laws. We do not where you will observe how the kids of
pretend that tackling these issues is an people with mental disabilities who live
easy thing to do. To change such deep on that street survive. Some are
rooted prejudice is complex and needs parented by other homeless street
a concerted effort on all parts of our men who most of the times are rapists.
society. You will find that those children have
no hope for the future. You don’t have
to forget that those whom we see are
few survivors coz many of them die
during birth or in their infant stages.
And given their living conditions their

P
ART 6: today’s appearance do not guarantee
OTHER ORGANISATIONS’ their tomorrow’s existence. In addition
PERSPECTIVES: to that these families live in perpetual
poverty for their time and meagre
resources are spent on mental health.

‘Some faith based groups may help The (health care) policy should come
them but there is no elaborate plan in out clear and recognize the rights of
place to safeguard their rights. It is pwpsd. They should be recognized as

48

a minority group and infrastructure be the person functions. There is an
put in place to care for their special approach of ‘containment’ and
needs. Presently, The ministry of local ‘medication’ rather than trying to
government mixes up issues of address the cause of the persons’
minority groups without specification. behaviour/response.’ (International
for instance, genocide survivors, Development Agency)
people with mental disabilities and the
impoverished families ( the poorest of ‘I think health policies must be more
the poor) are all put in the same serious about mental issues. More
basket! No specification at all. And researches should be carried out by
therefore no special attention that is the government and necessary drugs
paid to this health issue or others be found. More than that, specialized
because they are all taken as if there institutions must be founded to care for
problem is the same. Without proper people with mental disabilities.’ (DPO)
planning, there is no evaluation and
‘I am not so much informed about the
management of these issues. The
legal system, but I think people with
other important thing, is that there
psychosocial disabilities are not
should be realistic statistics indicating
regarded even in social development
the population percentage of people
programs that are in place. None
with psychosocial disabilities so as to
speaks out for them and I think they
be able to understand how
should be sensitized about their rights
burdensome this issue is.’ (DPO) to be able to speak out themselves.’
‘The children are not catered for and (DPO)
they are the most impoverished. They
‘There are no schools designed to take
may die from curable diseases due to
into account their mental status and so
lack of care and I think they form the
they remain uneducated, but even if
great percentage of the street children.
they may it won’t be easy for them to
Even when they grow up you find that
secure an employment. Since in our
they are poor in the society and most
country, one has to first produce a
of the times they are drug abusers.’
medical certificate in order to be
(DPO)
employed.’ (DPO)
‘I know that it (psychosocial disability)
‘Families perhaps feel persecuted
is the result of poor/inadequate social
themselves by healthcare providers
response to mental illness – mental
and may be seen as part of the
illness does not have to be ‘disabling’ if
problem rather than as part of the
society and services can respond
solution. Indeed as people who suffer
effectively. Mental illness and
alongside their family member and
psychosocial disability take many
may themselves need support. They
forms and is differently experienced by
may be a lack of information about
each individual. There is often a cause
options and rights.’ (International
that can be addressed to help people
Development Agency)
to recover. Recovery is possible.’
(International Development Agency) ‘I think so long as they meet the
standards set by the contract, e.g.
‘The response of service providers
bank requirements like loan
takes a medical approach to treating
guarantees, they should be allowed to
the symptoms rather than a social
enter contracts. It should be better if
approach to treating the causes and
special provision was put in place to
addressing the context within which

49

protect them as a minority group.’

P
ART 7: COMMENTS and
(DPO) RECOMMENDATIONS:
‘I think due to their illness, employers
don’t trust them enough and so do not LAW AND JUSTICE:
give them jobs to do. In addition, these
people do not have enough confidence The CRPD, The Rwandan Constitution
in themselves to engage the and The Rwandan Law on disability
employers and convince them about are unequivocal on the right to be
their capabilities. And because of treated equally before the law but the
continued isolation, they lose courage overwhelming experience of those
to look for employment.’ (DPO) interviewed and those that took part in
‘These children need special attention the focus groups makes it quite plain
by teachers who are trained for that that even where PWPSD know their
and a special curriculum that considers rights (and that is not often the case)
their capacities. Otherwise the they are ignored and abused, refused
millennium development goals representation, particularly in land
including “education for all” mean disputes and are refused the ability to
nothing with this minority group.’ take part in legal contracts, even when
(DPO) they are stable.

‘In general PWPSD live with their We believe that whilst there is no
relatives but those who don’t have specific Mental Health legislation in
relatives to take care of them, are Rwanda that this situation will continue
homeless street wonderers. They live and local leaders, families and official
in burial areas and other deserted authorities will continue to marginalise
places and are most vulnerable to PWPSD and to deny them their rights
many diseases. The few who manage that their Government says they are
to get some help are not able to rent a entitled to.
house in a safe place you find them in
slums living in gang areas and sexual People with psychosocial disability
workers’ places. In such places pwssd should be made aware of their rights
are vulnerable to vandalism, rape and and assisted to advocate for them in a
other ills in such places. Yet none can concerted and systematic way and
defend PWPSD even when they are specific Mental Health legislation
wronged for.’ (DPO) should be drawn up.

ACCOMMODATION:
There are many more comments from
other stakeholders that we are not able Where people with psychosocial
to include simply because of space disability live and who they live with
restrictions. In general there is a has a significant and greater than
feeling amongst other organisations usual impact on their everyday lives. It
that people with psychosocial disability is rare for anybody with psychosocial
are marginalised even within the disability to live on their own or without
disability community. There is a support from friends and family. Where
general lack of knowledge and no support is available people often
understanding of psychosocial become homeless and children with
disability. psychosocial disability or are members

50

of families that include people with This seems to be somewhat ironic as
psychosocial disability are particularly psychosocial disability is not
vulnerable with many living on the recognised in the definition of
street. impairments or the five categories,
apart from ‘other’.
There were stories of difficulties with
landlords with evidence of abuse and
exploitation were a regular feature of HEALTH:
the responses given. This is connected
directly to the lack of recognition of the It was never the purpose of this report
right of people with psychosocial to be to make an objective judgement on the
considered equal before the law and scope or quality of the psychiatric
until this happens, all aspects of life for health care in Rwanda. We have not
people with psychosocial disability will had access to either hospitals or
be adversely affected. doctors and it would therefore be
unreasonable for us to pass comment
on Rwandan psychiatric services. We
EDUCATION:
do take the view, however, that there
is no system in place that adequately
The majority of those interviewed
protects the rights of people with
either did not attend school, did not
psychosocial disorder during diagnosis
complete school or their Mental Illness
and treatment. The individual stories
occurred after school age. Only in a
reflect an overall dissatisfaction with
small number of cases, therefore, did
the treatment received and where
people report problems of abuse and
people have reflected well on what
the lack of understanding of teachers
happened to them, it is usually an
at school.
indication of committed, sympathetic
individual doctors and not the system
We feel that the issue of providing for
in general.
special needs of all types in schools is
a complex one simply because of the
This should not be surprising because,
enormously wide range of needs and
worldwide and even in so called
specialist skills needed that
developed countries where one might
encompass special needs education.
expect good services to protect and
help people, there is evidence that
A little training for teachers on
abuse takes place.
inclusion is a welcome thing but it will
not serve the pupil, neither the family We feel that there are some basic and
nor the school if all special needs indisputable facts that apply just as
pupils are treated in the same manner. strongly in Rwanda as anywhere.
Good health services are a
For psychosocial disability there needs fundamental part of any support
to be a child centred approach, system for people with psychosocial
particularly through counselling and disorder and worldwide in developing
teachers will require specialist skills in countries there are not enough trained
this area or other people with those doctors and nurses to tackle the
skills need to be used in schools. problem of Mental Disorder (Mental
Interestingly in the Rwandan Law on Illness). This leads to poor care and
disability, the only time psychosocial abuse. Even where there is trained
issues are mentioned is with reference
to counselling for children in schools.

51

staff, abuse of Human Rights still takes We also feel that the inability to access
place. medicines either through unavailability
or the lack of personal finance to pay
For example, evidence gathered by for them, as reported by the people in
The Mental Disability Advocacy this study, not only affects the
Centre, Melbourne indicates that individual but also costs the
abuse is systematic and even community and the country in
defended as good practice: economic terms. People with
psychosocial disorder want to be and
‘‘’I am not suggesting that medicine can be productive in the economy and
and doctors do not play an important providing universal health insurance
role; my point is that medicine cover for people with Mental Disorder
dominates: disability institutions are (Mental Illness) would be cost
places which are often run by doctors, effective.
and human rights abuses are
sometimes carried out in the name of EMPLOYMENT:
medicine. As the then Chief
Psychiatrist of Slovakia said to a BBC Although people with psychosocial
cameraman (in 2009), ‘’cage beds are disability want to and can be
not about human rights or a humane productive members of society they
way of treating patients, they are about are constantly and deliberately
the advancement of psychiatry as a excluded from employment.
science’’.’ ( extract from a speech by
When on the rare occasion that they
Oliver Lewis, Mental Disability
do find employment, they are regularly
Advocacy Centre, Melbourne February
dismissed when their disability
2012 )
becomes known even when they are
There must be serious concerns over carrying out their responsibilities
the human rights of people with Mental effectively.
Disorder (Mental Illness) when the
The Constitution of Rwanda, The
person in charge of psychiatric
Disability law in Rwanda and The
services in a European country
CRPD and its protocol all purport to
advocates such barbaric treatment
measures as an ‘advancement of
psychiatry as a science’.
We suggest that as well as separate
Mental Health legislation in Rwanda
that should regulate the treatment of
people with Mental Disorder (Mental
Illness), there should be an
independent body established to visit
psychiatric services and to report, not
on the performance of the staff but on
the conditions and environment that
the patients live in and are treated in.
This independent body should have Creating livelihood from brick-making
unrestricted access to all parts of the
service and should comprise of people
outside the Rwandan medical
make every citizen equal in all aspects
services.

52

This situation needs to be corrected
and corrected by the repeal of the
of their lives, including employment. NEC order preventing voting for the
This is not happening and it is not just NCPD. The general public and
the individual that suffers, it is also community leaders also need to be
their families and the economy. made aware of the human rights of
people with psychosocial disability and
sensitised to those rights that should
PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL AND
include full participation in public life.
PUBLIC LIFE:

CONCLUSION:
The reality of participation in political
and public life for people with Almost all the rights of people with
psychosocial disorder is very psychosocial disabilities are violated
confused. The CRPD is very clear that right from the provision of basic needs;
all people should have the right of they often go without food, without
participation (with support if required) shelter and are not allowed to express
should they wish to. The Rwandan their views or associate with other
Law on disability, however, through a people. Many live on the street,
rule of the National Electoral constantly hungry and are forced to
Commission contradicts the CRPD eat from garbage to satisfy their
because it bars people with hunger. The continued hostile and
psychosocial disability from a part of discriminatory environment has
the electoral process (even though subjected people with psychosocial
Rwanda has signed the CRPD and its disabilities to mistreatment, mob
protocol) but there is no consistency justice by the community, self rejection
when it comes to actually voting or and often suicide
standing in the elections for the
National Council for Persons with Most people with psychosocial
Disabilities or for other elections. disabilities are denied even their basic
rights. Poverty is interlinked with
Some people have tried psychosocial disability and can be a
unsuccessfully to stand for the NCPD cause and consequence of
and many have said they have actually psychosocial disability. The
voted in these elections. Other people government has several strong
have not voted in any elections structures at the local level led mainly
because they have physically been delivered through health community
prevented or that they feel that they counsellors that could help manage
are barred from all elections. the situation of mental health but they
lack proper resources and support.
The reality is that it seems that the
Given proper resources and support,
community and in particular the
community counsellors are ideally
community leaders have the power to
placed to settle family issues and
either allow voting or to prevent it. The
mental health should be given its due
law, whether it prevents voting or
attention.
indeed allows it, is not generally
understood or even when it is, it is We believe that there is evidence in
often ignored. this report that families need to be
empowered through easily accessed

53

mental health information. When a situation calls into question the very
family discovers that someone has got essence of what it means for us to be
Mental Disorder the community often a democratic society. we therefore
shuns that family. Occasionally some need to change the NEC rule to make
friends may help at the initial stages of sure that all people with psychosocial
the illness with practical support but disabilities are guaranteed the right to
long term support is never available. full political participation.
This long term support needs to be put
in place. Changing this rule that is so clearly
against the spirit and intention of all
The Constitution and Law of Rwanda the relevant Conventions and
is meant to protect all of its citizens, Legislation concerning People With
including those people with disabilities, Psychosocial Disability would give a
It seems, however, that Rwanda has very strong message of commitment to
accepted that the arbitrary exclusion of equality and we feel that it would be
hundreds of thousands of its citizens the first step in changing society’s
attitude for the better in all aspects of
from that protection. For example, the the daily lives of people with
right to vote in all elections is not psychosocial disability.
upheld purely on the basis of
psychosocial disability and this

It is time that the written, stated commitment of the Government to equality
and fair treatment is made a reality for people with psychosocial disability.

54

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