Inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) is an increasingly urgent global imperative. Across continents, countries grapple with transforming sprawling urban landscapes into environments where all citizens can navigate, learn, work, and thrive without systemic barriers. The adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2006 marked a watershed moment, setting international standards for accessibility, equality, and dignity.
Developed nations face infrastructural legacies that limit progress: New York City, for example, reports that approximately 75% of its subway stations remain inaccessible to wheelchair users despite multimillion-dollar investments in upgrades. London’s public transit system, hailed as a model for accessibility, still manages only about 33% full station accessibility. These figures underscore a sobering truth: urban inclusion is not just a challenge for resource-poor settings but a complex issue worldwide.
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For rapidly urbanising African countries, this global challenge intersects with unique socio-economic realities. The continent’s cities are expanding faster than anywhere else, with an estimated 60% of Africa’s population projected to live in urban areas by 2050. Amid such rapid growth, ensuring that PWDs are included in the urban fabric is both a human rights obligation and a developmental necessity.
The World Health Organisation’s 2023 global disability report estimates that over 1 billion people worldwide, roughly 15% of the global population, live with some form of disability, with 110 million and 190 million adults having significant difficulties in functioning. This figure encapsulates a broad spectrum, from mobility and sensory impairments to cognitive and psychosocial disabilities. In Africa alone, approximately 80 million persons live with disabilities, accounting for about 15% of the continent’s population.
A study reveals that persons with disabilities in Africa are among the most marginalised groups, facing unemployment rates as high as 80%, limited access to education, and pervasive social stigma. For example, less than 20% of public infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and transport facilities, meets accessibility standards, as highlighted in a 2023 UN-Habitat survey of 30 major African cities.
This exclusion perpetuates poverty and undermines human capital development, reinforcing a cycle that can only be broken through deliberate policy and social change. The question is no longer if African cities should be inclusive but how this inclusion can be effectively realised on the ground.
Africa’s Journey Toward Inclusion: Progress in Motion
Africa’s journey toward greater disability inclusion has been marked by landmark legislative and policy reforms that signal a growing commitment across the continent. The African Disability Protocol (ADP), ratified in June 2024, stands as a cornerstone achievement. Building upon the principles of the CRPD, the ADP mandates “reasonable accommodation” in all spheres of public life, education, transport, employment, and urban planning. This regional instrument compels African Union (AU) member states to translate international commitments into actionable national policies.
Several countries have already enacted progressive legislation. Nigeria’s Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018 provides a legal framework forbidding discrimination and mandating accessible infrastructure. South Africa’s Constitution enshrines the rights of PWDs and is supported by comprehensive national policies promoting inclusion.
Despite these gaps, progress is evident. Rwanda, often cited as a model for inclusive development, has achieved a large enrolment rate of children with disabilities in primary education, a significant increase supported by targeted teacher training and inclusive curricula reforms. Ghana and Senegal are advancing accessible transport projects, such as low-floor buses and tactile paving in public spaces.
Legal and Policy Frameworks
Legislative frameworks are the scaffolding of inclusive cities, but transforming laws into lived realities demands political will, adequate funding, and technical capacity. African governments have increasingly recognised this, integrating disability inclusion into national development plans and urban strategies.
Ethiopia revised its building code in 2021 to require accessibility features in all new public infrastructure. South Africa’s Integrated National Disability Strategy (INDS) prioritises accessible transport, employment quotas, and barrier-free education. These policies align with the ADP and CRPD commitments but face challenges, including limited budget allocations and uneven awareness among policymakers.
Civil society organisations play a vital role in advocacy and monitoring. Groups like the Kenya National Association of the Deaf and Disability Rights Ghana actively engage governments and development partners to push for better enforcement and community-based solutions.
Education and Social Services
Education remains a critical entry point for inclusion. The disparities in access reflect systemic issues: according to UNESCO’s 2024 report, only one in four children with disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa attend school, compared to nearly universal enrolment for children without disabilities. This gap limits future employment opportunities and entrenches inequality.
Programs in Rwanda, South Africa, and Kenya have demonstrated the power of inclusive education when supported by teacher training, adaptive technologies, and community engagement. For instance, South Africa’s use of sign language interpreters and accessible learning materials has improved literacy rates among deaf students by 35% over the past decade.
Health and social services are also evolving. Kenya’s policy to provide sign language interpreters in hospitals and Ghana’s disability-friendly health centres improve access to care, though stigma and limited mobility still hinder many.
Urban Mobility: The Road to Access
Accessible transport remains one of the most visible and immediate barriers in African cities. Only about 9% of bus terminals in major African capitals meet universal design standards. Lack of ramps, tactile signage, and audio announcements restricts mobility for many.
Yet innovation is emerging. Ghana has introduced a fleet of buses equipped with ramps and priority seating for PWDs, improving daily commuting for thousands. Senegal’s Bus Rapid Transit system incorporates low-floor buses and tactile paving on platforms. Kenya’s MoOV ride-hailing service launched in 2024 with accessible vehicles, using technology to bridge gaps in public transit.
These efforts reflect growing recognition that inclusive transport systems are essential not only for mobility but also for social participation and economic opportunity.
Digital Inclusion
The digital divide disproportionately affects persons with disabilities in Africa. The GSMA Mobile Disability Gap Report 2023 reveals that PWDs are 50% less likely to access mobile internet than their non-disabled peers, hampered by inaccessible devices, unaffordable data, and limited digital literacy.
Yet, digital innovation offers tremendous potential. Rwanda and South Africa are piloting AI-driven accessibility tools, including screen readers and voice recognition software adapted for local languages. Online platforms for education, employment, and government services are increasingly designed with accessibility in mind, expanding participation and empowerment.
The Road Ahead
African cities face a complex but not insurmountable task in becoming truly inclusive. The journey involves balancing rapid urban growth with deliberate, rights-based planning. Challenges include limited funding, infrastructural backlogs, and social stigma, but the continent’s legal frameworks and growing civil society engagement provide solid foundations.
Lessons from global experiences highlight that accessibility benefits entire societies, not just persons with disabilities. An accessible city is safer, more equitable, and economically vibrant, a vision that African leaders and communities are increasingly embracing.
Toward an Africa That Includes All
Africa’s inclusion of persons with disabilities is an evolving story of progress grounded in hope and pragmatism. While challenges remain, the continent’s growing legislative frameworks, innovative policies, and community-led initiatives illuminate a path toward equitable urban futures.
African cities have the potential to become beacons of inclusion, places where diversity is celebrated, barriers are dismantled, and every citizen, regardless of ability, can contribute fully to society’s growth and prosperity.
In this journey, the promise of disability inclusion is not merely a legal obligation or developmental goal but a moral imperative that defines the continent’s character and humanity.
