By NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIAÂ
The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and Disability Rights Funds (DRF) have called for more inclusivity for PWDs.
They made the call at the Disability Rights Advocacy Funds Nigerian Grantee Convening on Tuesday in Abuja.
The theme of the 2024 Grantee Convening is “Building a Diverse Disability Movement in Nigeria: Exploring underutilised Opportunities for Growth and Impact’’ was organised by JONAPWD with support from DRF and DRAC.
The Executive Secretary of NCPWD, Dr James Lalu appreciated DRF and other stakeholders for empowering organisations that involve in the care, advocacy and rights of PWDs in Nigeria.
He said the call for inclusion of PWDs in all spheres of human endeavour could not be overemphasised, adding that NCPWD is ready to partner with any organisation to achieve that.
“However, we need to look at the Disability Act and bring out some programmes and activities that would benefit the disability community.
“A lot of Airlines have no inclusion for PWDs, If there is any discrimination or issue against PWDs, please, let them write to the Commission, we will take actions,’’ Lalu stressed.
Meanwhile, President of JONAPWD, Mr Abdullahi Usman underscored the importance for PWDs to become self-reliant.
According to Usman, with over 35 million PWDs, the government should consciously improve on protecting the fundamental rights of PWDs.
“We call on government at all levels to uphold the rights of PWDs. JONAPWD will continue to ensure that no one is left behind in the pursuit of inclusive policies and practices.
“A lot of organizations and advocates speak about out-of-school children in Nigeria, but if you look closely, the majority are either children with disabilities or children of PWDs.
“PWDs deserve equal rights alongside their non-disabled peers. There should be a concerted effort to address these critical issues,’’ he said.
In her speech, the Secretary of Canada High Commission in Nigeria, Ms Mathilde Ouellet expressed Canada’s commitment to supporting the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
“Canada strongly believes that fostering inclusion and equality is critical to building a more peaceful and prosperous world.
“And also, protecting the rights and dignity of PWDs is an important example of this,’’ Ouellet said.
Speaking, the Programme Manager for West Africa at DRF, Mr Theophilus Odaudu, maintained that the rights of PWDs are also human rights.
He stressed the importance of building a formidable disability movement to further advance the implementation of the Disability Act and related laws across the country.
“It is crucial to adopt intersectional approaches to ensure that no one is left behind. There is need to consider the needs and rights of PWDs in all interventions and policies’’. (NAN)