Workshop analyzes Rwanda’s budget on accessibility for persons with disabilities

By Prince Boris Cyubahiro.

The General Association of People with Disabilities of Rwanda (AGHR) held a workshop to assess Rwanda’s national budget allocation and expenditure on accessibility of public infrastructure for persons with disabilities over three fiscal years (2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25).

The meeting emphasized the need for improved collaboration among civil society organizations, stronger data collection for evidence-based advocacy, and public awareness campaigns targeting building owners to comply with regulations on accessible infrastructure.

Despite Rwanda’s progress in some areas, the lack of specific funding for disability-related infrastructure and services remains a critical gap. Participants called for targeted budgetary commitments and a transparent approach to ensure accessibility is prioritized in all sectors.

AGHR Chairperson Aimable Rukundo highlighted the challenges of addressing physical accessibility, stressing its high cost and complexity when retrofitting non-compliant buildings.

He noted, “When a building is built wrong, correcting it is both expensive and challenging. Physical accessibility must be considered at the design stage.”

He also urged the government to set timelines and allocate budgets to gradually resolve accessibility issues in older structures, as correcting such buildings costs about 30% of the original construction cost.

Pascasie Mukarukundo, Budget Policy Formulation and Reforms Officer at MINECOFIN, explained the absence of a dedicated disability budget, noting that disability is treated as a cross-cutting issue.

She stated, “Each government institution is responsible for addressing disability needs within its budget. While there is no budget specifically for retrofitting old buildings, budgets for renewing infrastructure include provisions for compliance with the Rwanda Building Code.”

The workshop called for a detailed monitoring framework to ensure accountability and compliance with accessibility standards, emphasizing the far-reaching consequences of inaccessible public spaces on the lives of persons with disabilities. AGHR urged sustained advocacy and strategic planning to make accessibility a reality for all.

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