Network of Women With Disability (NWWD) has urged government and other stakeholders to protect the rights of People With Disability (PWD) and provide them with equal opportunity like others to enable Nigeria move from integration of PWD to their inclusion.
The founder and president of Network of Women With Disability, Lois Auta, said this while addressing a One-Day Roundtable Discussion for Stakeholders on Disability Inclusion in the Electoral Process at the Grassroots in Kaduna, with the theme: ‘Strengthening Institution and Rule of Law for Disables Inclusion at the Grassroots in Kaduna State’.
She said: “We have moved from exclusion of people with disability through segregation to integration of PWD. But Nigeria needs to step up from integration of PWD to inclusion.
“We have the laws but how are we ensuring the rights of PWD, and equal opportunity is given to PWD? Are we allowing PWD to participate, to have their dignity and to be independent by providing all the necessities for their inclusion? People should prioritise inclusion of PWD in anything they do; agenda, project, policies, legal framework. They should prioritise implementation of the laws. Let’s begin to strategise, let’s mobilise resources and come up action plan that would ensure complete inclusion in anything we do. We need a synergy to ensure PWD participation through representation.”
The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jamie Christoff, who joined the roundtable discussion virtually said, “I’m confident that this TAF Africa roundtable discussion and sensitisation project will result in positive change in Kaduna. This is a reminder that we need to ensure that this project continues. People with disability continue to face challenges in participating in electoral process, so we remain committed to working with civil society organisations in supporting people with disability to achieve their rights.”
