There are currently over 5.5 million people with disabilities (PwD) living in Uganda, which accounts for approximately 13% of the total population. According to the 2024 census, this includes over 46,000 deaf people, 29,000 blind people, and over 6,000 people who are both deaf and blind (Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2024). Despite these high numbers, the country faces a digital divide that is growing ever wider. Even after graduating from school, people with disabilities often cannot submit job applications or access government services because the digital formats simply do not work for them.
Isolating media landscape
The media landscape exacerbates this “isolation.” Currently, mainstream television and newspapers rarely offer information in formats that blind or deaf people can use. Television news lacks sign language, and there are very few accessible digital versions of newspapers. This is not just a technical problem, but a human rights issue. When people lack access to information—for example, about elections or national health emergencies—they are prevented from actively participating in the life of their own country.
Narratives of pity
A key part of the problem lies in how stories are told. Currently, most journalists in Uganda report on disability from a perspective of pity. They often treat people with disabilities as victims who need to be helped, rather than as citizens with rights. At the same time, many people with disabilities lack the knowledge of how to tell their own stories or participate in public discourse. Although social media and digital tools are now available, most blind and deaf Ugandans do not have the know-how to use them to, for example, report abuse, document rights violations, or share their own perspectives on issues. As a result, they are dependent on others to speak for them.
Nothing about us, without us!
Uganda has signed international agreements such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Marrakesh Treaty to protect these rights, but there is a significant gap in the practical implementation of these laws. The government and media organizations often lack the technical capabilities to produce information in accessible formats. This project will help close that gap.
By training people with disabilities to tell their own stories and supporting media organizations in changing their reporting style, we are ensuring that Uganda’s digital future becomes more inclusive. This directly supports the goal of the National Development Plan to ensurethat no Ugandan is left behind.
Stay tuned!
The FirstPersonProject is a programme by Oysters & Pearls Uganda and icebauhaus with support by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Coooeration and Development in the years 2026 – 2028.