For many persons with disabilities in Nebbi District, the challenge is not simply living with a disability but navigating a society where information, education and public services often remain out of reach.
For people with visual impairments and hearing disabilities, communication barriers continue to limit access to opportunities, leaving many excluded from education, healthcare, economic programmes and community decision-making processes.
Advocates say the inability to access information in accessible formats amounts to a denial of fundamental rights guaranteed under Uganda’s Constitution.
According to Charles Lemiza, the district’s Education Officer in charge of Special Needs Education, communication barriers remain one of the leading causes of low school completion rates among learners with disabilities.
“Generally, there are very low completion rates among learners with disabilities, with very low transition rates from Primary One to Primary Two since parents and teachers give less attention to learners with disabilities,” Lemiza said.
He noted that only a small proportion of learners with disabilities complete their education.
Lemiza said challenges are particularly severe for learners with visual impairments in rural districts such as Nebbi District, where trained teachers, assistive technologies and inclusive learning materials remain scarce.
“Nebbi has limited numbers of teachers trained in ICT and inclusive teaching methods. Access to screen readers and braille materials is also limited, placing learners with disabilities at a disadvantage when adopting digital learning tools,” he said.
The situation has been compounded by the absence of sustained training programmes for teachers.
According to Lemiza, the last major sign language training for teachers was conducted between 2018 and 2019 under the Discretionary Development Equalisation Grants programme, during which more than 60 teachers received training.
However, the programme was later phased out, creating a significant gap in schools’ ability to support deaf learners.
“Without accessible communication, persons with disabilities are excluded from education, health and economic programmes. The lack of accessible information is linked to poor literacy and high dropout rates,” Lemiza said.
He added: “In health facilities, the same pattern appears; no interpreters, no materials in braille or audio formats, and patients relying on family members to translate.”
For disability rights advocates, the consequences extend beyond education.
Ronald Onenchan Jarach, programme manager at the Nebbi Women with Disabilities Association, said communication barriers contribute directly to poverty and social exclusion.
“Households with persons with disabilities are more likely to experience poverty without targeted inclusion measures,” Onenchan said.
He argued that while disability inclusion is frequently discussed in policy circles, implementation often falls short.
“People talk about inclusion, but when development activities come, persons with disabilities are not fully involved. They are integrated into systems without addressing their specific needs,” he said.
According to Onenchan, stereotypes and discrimination continue to affect participation in community programmes, while children with disabilities often receive lower priority in education and family decision-making.
The challenges are also visible in local governance.
Marylin Onyai, Town Clerk of Thatha Division in Nebbi Municipality, said many persons with disabilities miss out on development opportunities because information and services are not designed with accessibility in mind.
“People with disabilities are not always deliberately excluded, but barriers prevent them from accessing activities and information,” Onyai said.
“Government and development partners need to design strategies that respond to the specific needs of different categories of persons with disabilities.”
Grace Owiny, the female district councillor representing persons with disabilities, said exclusion begins at an early age.
She noted that children with disabilities in rural communities often study in poorly resourced schools that lack trained teachers and accessible learning materials.
“Access to assistive devices remains limited because of the high costs involved, particularly in rural areas,” Owiny said, adding: “In Nebbi, there is no specialised resource centre for the blind, and there is limited access to white canes and braille materials, making it difficult for children with disabilities to access quality education in this digital era.”
Advocates say improving inclusion will require investment in sign language interpretation, braille resources, assistive technologies, teacher training and accessible public information systems.
Until then, many persons with disabilities in Nebbi will continue facing barriers that prevent them from fully participating in education, employment and community life.