Stakeholder Pushes For Disability Rights Especially In Remote Communities

A stakeholder in the Disability Inclusion space, Patience Agbamu has called for the creation of a functional desk at the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities supported by a toll-free line to enable easy reporting, especially for individuals in remote communities.

Agbamu, who made this known in Abuja, at a three day capacity-building programme for disability rights organisations,
called on the government and Nigerians to support efforts aimed at strengthening disability inclusion and ensuring that cases of abuse and violations are properly addressed.

Mrs Agbamu, who is the Executive Director of Sterling Inclusion and Development Initiative stressed that disability could affect anyone at any time, urging proactive action to create an inclusive society.

She noted that one of the major challenges in Nigeria is the low level of awareness among stakeholders, including government agencies and communities, on the importance of disability inclusion.

Agbamu said this necessitated the project by focusing on promoting inclusive advocacy and bringing together both persons with disabilities and those without disabilities to collectively advance disability rights.

She noted that the initiative is designed to bridge critical gaps in awareness, advocacy, and institutional support.

According to her, the project titled “Strengthening Protection and Resilience of Disability Rights Advocates in Nigeria” funded by Protection International, a Brussels-based organisation, is to be implemented over a six-month period.

The project comprises two key components, including capacity building and policy advocacy.

“Under the first component, selected organisations working on disability inclusion were assessed using an organisational capacity tool developed by USAID. This assessment informed the development of a tailored training manual, currently being used to train participating organisations.”

She added that the ongoing three-day training has brought together representatives from multiple organisations, including organisations of persons with disabilities, to enhance their capacity for effective advocacy

She further highlighted the importance of psychosocial support for advocates, revealing that the project includes monthly support sessions over four months to help participants cope with stress and challenges associated with advocacy in a shrinking civic space.

Some of the Participants, Cynthia Ukachi of Women and Girls with Albinism and Obinna Ekujereonye, explained that inclusive programming goes beyond awareness, stressing the need for organisations to integrate disability considerations into their structures, implementation strategies, and target beneficiaries.

According to them, the ultimate goal is to ensure that persons with disabilities are actively included and their rights promoted through impactful interventions.

The participants called for improved inclusive budgeting across sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure, stressing that adequate funding would ensure disability friendly features are integrated into development plans.

They reiterated the need for collective efforts to build a more inclusive society where persons with disabilities can fully participate and thrive.

Florence Adewale, Edited By Grace Namiji