| The Albino Foundation (TAF) team paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), Honourable Nasir Isa Kwarra to seek partnership in ensuring a disability inclusive exercise in the upcoming National Census, alongside the programme officer, Disability Rights Fund, Barr. Theophilus Odaudu. TAF founder, Amb. Jake Epelle disclosed during the visit that a disability guideline for an inclusive process will be developed to support the commission’s work on inclusivity and asked for the Chairman’s buy in on the initiative. He said that the Foundation is willing to serve the commission in any capacity to ensure a smooth collaboration and inclusive process, including training the trainers that will eventually train the commission’s staff. Amb. Epelle also expressed willingness of the foundation to support the NPC achieve a successful digital census, revealing that the foundation is developing an app that will provide support in the receiving real time eyewitness reports in form of vides and texts. The Honourable Chairman and his state commissioners welcomed the TAF team, with assurances of their willingness to partner with the foundation for the upcoming census, on the area of inclusivity. |
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| In his response, the Executive Chairman of NPC, Hon. Nasir Isa-Kwarra, assured that necessary measures were already in place to ensure a successful digital census next year, adding that it would be a disability inclusive exercise.He further said that preparations are in place for disaggregated data for persons with disability and the albinism community, emphasizing that all Nigerians will be counted.In his words, “All exercises we’ve carried out so far, we included people living with disability. And that includes members of the albinism community. Also, when we do our major recruitment, whether it’s for ad hoc or permanent staff, I assure you to include members of the albinism community.“We’ve already captured the needs of people living with disability including the albinism community and we will produce disaggregated data. Not just of the members of the albinism community but where they reside, because it’s a population and housing census.“We will partner with you and create that capacity other African countries haven’t created. We want to conduct a census that leaves no one behind, because every Nigerian counts, and we would count every Nigerian.” The honourable Chairman promised to set up a technical committee responsible for driving inclusion in the upcoming 2023 census, and honoured Amb. Jake with a recognition plaque for his effort towards the recognition and respect of persons with disability to ensure a more inclusive country. |
