Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative (AWWDI) on Wednesday 31st August 2022, organized a one-day town hall meeting on engaging stakeholders and project closing event “Amplify Visibility and Voice for Women and Girls with Disabilities in Gender Based Violence” this project is funded by DISABILITY RIGHTS FUND (DRF) and implemented by Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative AWWDI.
Patience Ogolo Dickson, Executive Director, AWWDI while speaking to The Qualitative Magazine, said that the project “amplify visibility and voice for women and girls with disability for gender-based violence” came as a result of issues of gender- based violence (GBV) ravaging the society, the project aimed at not living behind the community of women and girls with disabilities (WGWD) because they have been left behind for so long.
“The issues of GBV, people believe that WGWD are not sexually active and they are not part of this violence, so for that reason AWWDI want to amplify that by sharing the experiences of WGWD to expose to the society how WGWD faces GBV.
She said that the objective of the project is to amplify voice for visibility around GBV, awareness creation, sensitization of people to know that GBV exist within this community so that WGWDs are not excluded from GBV.
She said the achievement so far in the project is centered around training of WGWD on their rights using the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act as a guide, training of critical stakeholders around GBV for them to understand the issues of WGWD, know their needs and for them to be able to access justice because it is always difficult for them to access justice when they are violated.
Finally, she appreciated the key partners such as DRF for supporting the project, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Justice, National Orientation Agency, Women Rights Organizations and the Media for helping them in implementing the project.
Theophilus Odaudu, Program Officer, DRF in his goodwill message appreciated AWWDI for a good job and said that issues around WGWD as regards to GBV is important because women with disabilities faces all forms of abuse and they are at double disadvantage because of their disability.
He stated that during the covid-19 pandemic, most women suffered domestic violence including WGWD, that is why DRF is making sure that they support organizations that of women to ensure that the issue of GBV is curbed to zero level and AWWDI has being committed to ensure that they produce results and protect WGWD from all forms of violence.
DRF promises to continue the partnership with AWWDI in ensuring a better society for WGWD, and also to know how far they have gone and further brainstorming on the way forward to keep the work going.
HRH Pharm. Luka Panya Baba, Esu Karu, in his goodwill message commended AWWDI for being at the forefront of issues concerning WGWD, he said that WGWD faces discrimination, inequality, inaccessible environment and GBV.
He said that the issue concerning GBV is not a one person’s business rather it requires all and sundry.
“Everybody must get involved, Government agencies, Community leaders, religious leaders, and stakeholders.
He also said that government should formulate policies that will cater for the issues of WGWD in education, employment, health and protection from all forms of violence.
Traditional rulers/community leaders should enlighten our people towards GBV and create enabling environment to be productive. He assured that he will engage other traditional rulers to establish a permanent platform for the engagement and advancement of WGWD.
Wunmi Laolu-Akande, GBV Analyst UNFPA in her goodwill message said that their organization main goal is aimed at zero tolerance for GBV, access to family planning, zero tolerance to maternal mortality death this is their major commitment and persons with disabilities are not left out and they are committed to ensure that WGWD are included in their affairs.
Oguche Gloria T Ekanem, Women Development Dept. Federal Ministry of Women Affairs commended AWWDI for bringing visibility to the plight of PWDs in Nigeria, she ensures that the ministry will provide any kind of technical support to ensure equal treatment and further amplify the voices of every woman including WGWD.
Egeruo Lilian, from NAPTIP in her speech said that NAPTIP ensure prosecution of GBV perpetrators, protection of persons against trafficking which WGWD are also victims.
“NAPTIP will continue to partner with organizations of persons with disabilities to ensure their voices are amplified, also as their act is being amended the D.G said that WGWD will be captured in the act, they have restructured their office for easy accessibility of PWDs finally the training of protection officers deployed in the six-area council to ensure proper reporting of GBV cases”.
Uloma Obike, Research and Campaigns Assistant, Amnesty International Nigeria in her remark said that as a human right organization that protects and promote human rights.
She said they research, investigate and give their findings to the authorities and currently they are working on GBV and access to justice and now they are working on GBV and disability hopefully they will continue to work more on WGWD to ensure that their voices are heard.
Ene Ede, Board of Trustee Member, Joint Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) cooperation and media strategist, appreciated ED AWWDI for her doggedness towards issues of WGWD and how she is always at the front burner of their issues.
She said that access + participation is inclusion and our attitude towards PWDs is more disabling than the environment.
“Now we need to go back to the disability society we need to integrate and empower, out of the 35% women ask for 15% should and must be giving to women with disabilities in agriculture, money and empowerment sectors and be recognized in all sectors not an afterthought”.
It should be internal commitment to carry everybody along and mobilize other resources and as media making it visible to amplify their voices, women with disabilities in decision making bodies, leadership position and political parties so that people can write from the point of knowledge about WGWD.
Adaeze Ike, disability desk officer of Federal Ministry of Health talked about achievement that AWWDI and FMOH in the cause of WGWD around issue of GBV and said they will continue to strategize and develop more policies to include WGWD in health sector.
At the end DRF promise to extent the project to another one year to get more result in the issue of GBV and all the critical stakeholders that participated promised their commitment in the continuation of the project.
