Mr. Ali Jookhun
5 September, 2024-President of the African Down Syndrome Network (ADSN), Ali Jookhun has just been elected as a member of the African Disability Forum (ADF) at the Africa Disability Conference from 1st to 5th September in Nairobi, Kenya. The ADF is the continental organisation of Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) in Africa. Established in 2014, it seeks to strengthen and unify the representative voices of Africans with disabilities, their families, and organisations.
“I am very honoured and grateful for the confidence that the ADF has placed in me by electing me as a member of the Disabled Family Organisations for the next 4 years. It was indeed a close election between Mr. Abullahi from Nigeria and myself, with the final vote being 18 votes to 23 votes,” said Ali Jookhun.
The African continent is vast and has great regional diversity, making it impossible for any single organization to directly and fully reflect and represent such diversity. As such, the ADF includes and builds on existing organizations, networks, capacities, and successes. The ADF strives to be inclusive, engaging, and reflecting the perspectives of all pan-African, sub-regional, and national federations.
An independent and democratic organization, ADF pays particular attention to the involvement of women and young people with disabilities in all its structures and activities. The ADF governance structure is light, with an executive council of 9 members. ADF works in partnership with all organizations that share ADF’s objectives and promote the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in Africa.
Mauritius Down Syndrome Champion
Ali Jookhun created the only network in Mauritius where people with Down Syndrome can meet each other and find support about the condition.
Drawing on his experience caring for his late twin daughters, who were both born with multiple disabilities, Ali has led the network since 1993 and provided its 75 members with vital advice about education and healthcare. The network has significantly improved the lives of over 1,500 people with disabilities in the country since its inception and is raising awareness of the issues that affect them through Ali’s annual ‘World Down Syndrome Day’ event. Ali has worked with a number of Mauritian government ministries to help establish the Special Education Needs Authority, launched by the Mauritius National Assembly to provide specifically designed, inclusive learning environments for SEN students. He has also collaborated with the United Nations on their report about disability and equal rights.
Sources: Lemauricien and Points of Light
