By Ere-ebi Agedah
The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, JONAPWD has reiterated its call to government at all levels on upholding the rights of persons with disabilities adding that it should consciously sectionalize the approach towards varied disability issues.
This, JONAPWD said, will ensure that no one is left behind in the pursuit of inclusive policies and practices.
Speaking on Tuesday, during the Disability Rights Advocacy Funds Nigerian Grantee Convening 2024, President of JONAPWD, Mr. Abdullahi Usman emphasized on the importance for the government to ensure that persons with disabilities become self-reliant.
According to Mr Usman, with over 35 million PWDs in Nigeria which are engaged in various fields and endeavors, the government must consciously improve on protection of the fundamental rights of PWDs.
He emphasized on the need for comprehensive support for persons with disabilities adding that it is crucial to train even those who are not educated.
He further highlighted the importance of education, pointing out that many children with disabilities are out of school. “A lot of organizations and advocates speak about the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, but if you look closely, the majority are either children with disabilities or children of persons with disabilities,” he added.
He therefore stressed that persons with disabilities deserve equal rights alongside their non-disabled peers and called for a concerted effort to address these critical issues.
Mathilde Quellet, Secretary of the High Commission of Canada in Nigeria, emphasized on the importance of promoting the rights of women calling for comprehensive efforts to implement and review Nigeria’s National Disability Law to reflect the specific needs of women.
She acknowledged that, despite efforts for full inclusion for Women with disabilities in areas such as political participation, access to infrastructure, and employment has yet to be achieved in Canada and other Western countries.
Quellet however noted that Canada has a stand on fostering inclusion and equality, which she described as critical to building a more peaceful and prosperous world.
Meanwhile, Program Manager for West Africa at the Disability Rights Fund, Mr. Theophilus Odaudu, noted that disability rights are human rights. He stressed the importance of building a formidable disability movement to further advance the implementation of the Disability Act and related laws across the country.
Stressing on the diversity within the PWD community, Odaudu noted that they are not a homogenous group. “It is crucial to adopt intersectional approaches to ensure that no one is left behind,” he said.
As he urged both government and society to consider the needs and rights of PWDs in all interventions and policies.
