Nigeria: Stakeholders Advocate Formulation Of Policies For PWD’s

Stakeholders at Plan International Nigeria’s event in Abuja to commemorate this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities have called for the formulation of policies to create safe spaces for PWDs in the country.

The Programme Coordinator for Women Equality and Gender Equality, Oxfam Nigeria, Olawunmi Gbolahan,
said there was a need for autonomy for PWDs to make decisions on issues affecting them, as people with disabilities are denied the possibility of exercising their rights and making their own decisions on wrong assumptions.

She explained the damage caused by the common assumption in the community that people with disability cannot make their own decisions and are denied the opportunity to exercise choice and control over their own lives.

“It might come from a place of love, but at some point, you need to understand that they also have the right and autonomy to make decisions by themselves.”

The Programme Coordinator therefore solicited reforms to promote decision-making which provides people with disability with the assistance necessary to make their own decisions.

The Gender Equality and Inclusion Manager, Plan International Nigeria, Chinelo Amaechina said the collaboration with other stakeholders like the Christian Relief Services (CRS), Oxfam and other organisations was aimed at strengthening demands for the inclusion of PWDs in various government activities.

Amaechina noted that the day was being used to share worries and concerns using the Arts words to explain to the world that there was a need for them to be included in programmes, processes and what organisations and government are doing.

According to her, “When it comes to employment, some of them are not considered on the basis of disability, when it comes to creating accessible world like offices, public places and the rest of them, they’re not being considered.

” Also, when it comes to education, sometimes you see some schools are designated for persons with disability but there’s no inclusion of PWDs in other schools, they are just kind of segregated and most more importantly, some of them are being stigmatised and discriminated.”

Chinelo Amaechina also solicited the formulation of policies that are not disability blind so that the needs and aspirations of PWDs can be met.

“Government has a lot to do especially when it comes to policy formation, most of our policies shouldn’t be gender blind and disability blind as well, these persons should be called on the table when policies are being developed so they can also bring the issues and how they are being affected and how It can be solved.”

In an interview with newsmen, the Co-convener of Movement Beyond Word (MBW), Pelemo Nyajo, called for the scaling up of disability inclusion to address the needs of PWDs irrespective of their location.

Speaking on the Disability Acts, she said having acts was not enough but ensuring the acts are being implemented would address the needs of PWDs.

“We have disability Acts but we have a lack of implementation and I think that’s apart from a governmental level where it’s supposed to be implemented, it can be done on a communal and societal level.

” Efforts in this event is for us to get inclusion in little spaces from community and people and I think that will spur people to become allies and to understand what the fight is really for,” she said.

She called on the federal government to create safe spaces for PWDs for conversations around their demands while also ensuring the implementation of the acts that already exist.