Foundation laments non-inclusiveness of the disable in Nigerian society

The Cedar Seed Foundation, an organisation fighting for the rights of People Living with Disability (PWDs) has asked government at all levels and other players to ensure proper inclusion if disable persons, lamenting that Nigerian society is uninhabitable for their members.

Speaking on Monday in Abuja at a national dialogue on disability rights and inclusive development in Nigeria,  founder, Cedar Seed Foundation, Lois Auta, asked government at all levels to remove barriers hindering them from living a productive life. The event was jointly organised by Centre for Democracy and Development (CDC), Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD) and Centre for Citizens with Disability.

While lamenting some of the challenges confronting persons living with disability, Auta said lack of access to public infrastructures, public policies, employment, education, transport system, ICT infrastructure, housing, health care delivery and electoral system were part of the challenges.

She said: “Nigerian society continues to view disabilities issue from a social welfare perspective, merely confirming PWDs to individuals seeking for just basic needs of life. But truths be told , we are simply tired of the charity model. We want the social model.

“We are living witnesses to social, economic and political barriers as PWDs.

For director, Centre for Democracy and Development, Idayat Hassan, it is important that everyone living with disability is properly included either in the environmental plan, financial or in governance to give them a sense of belonging.

According to Idayat, it is also important that government know the diversity of people living with disability, bearing in mind that it is a priority for the actors and all Nigerians that the country can not achieve the much talked about MDGs without proper inclusions of persons living with disability.

The event which was organised in commemoration of the 2017 international day of Persons Living with Disability also brought together various government agencies, international organisations among others.

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