Ebonyi State Government has been urged by the Voice of Disability Initiative (VDI), a Non-governmental organization (NGO) to bring the Disability Rights Act into domestic law.
According to it, this will protect the rights of Persons With Disabilities (PWD) in the state.
The organization’s Executive Director, Mrs. Catherine Edeh, appealed on Tuesday at a two-day sensitisation workshop and interactive session with various stakeholders in Abakaliki.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants at the workshop included healthcare providers, religious and traditional leaders in Ebonyi.
The theme of the programme was “Access to Sexual and reproductive health services for women and girls with disabilities: Gender-Based Violence and rights of persons with disabilities”.
Edeh stated that domesticating the legislation will provide PWDs with a sense of belonging in the community.
“Domesticating the Disability Rights Act in Ebonyi would go a long way involving them in policy making and governance,” she reported.
The executive director lamented the treatment of disabled persons due to a lack of inclusivity in politics and government decision-making.
“So, I am calling on the Ebonyi State Government to please, listen to the complaints of the PWDs and include them in decision making,” she went on:
Edeh described VDI as an advocacy network established by and for women with disabilities.
“It is saddled with the responsibility of safeguarding and protecting the fundamental human rights of women and girls with disabilities in Nigeria.
“It’s being supported by an international foundation known as Amplify Change, to implement a project on advancing the Sexual Reproductive Health Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities in the country,” she said.
A Gender and Social Inclusion Advocate, Mrs Susan Kelechi, described the sensitisation workshop as a clarion call to the government to domesticate the disability law.
Kelechi said that the law became imperative as it could protect the rights of Persons With Disabilities.
“We have five states in the South-East, and unfortunately, Ebonyi is yet to domesticate the law,” she said.
Kelechi called for a collaborative effort between the health workers and the women and girls with disabilities, to ensure the protection of their sexual and reproductive health.
Since most people do not consider women and girls with disabilities as sexually active people, This is an issue that has received little attention and less communication. But that’s untrue,” she asserted.
Additionally, the resource person, Mr. Edward Ogenyi, encouraged the Ebonyi government to back the campaign and pass a law safeguarding PWDs’ rights.
Earlier, Mr Christopher Okorie, the Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the state, called for attitudinal change towards the vulnerable people in the society.
Also, Dr Cassandra Ugochukwu, Vice Chairperson of FIDA in the state, expressed hope that the present government would address the issue regarding the law protecting the rights of Persons With Disabilities in the state.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
