THINGS YOU SHOULD NOTE ABOUT DISABILITY ACT 2018 (PART V)

This is to create awareness about the Discrimination against persons with disabilities( Prohibition) Act 2018. We will be publishing it in episodes as it was summarized by Disability Rights Advocacy Centre (DRAC) and published by Alabaraonye Kenneth.

DO YOU KNOW THAT: PART V – FREEDOM, RIGHT TO EDUCATION, HEALTH AND FIRST CONSIDERATIONS IN QUEUES AND EMERGENCIES.

1. A Person shall not: (a) Employ, use or involve any person with disability in begging. (b) Display persons with disabilities in public as a way of asking for help or begging. (c) Use his/her disability as a reason to beg in public. Any person that does this has committed an offence and shall pay a fine of N100,000 or will go to prison for six months or both.
2. A person with disability shall have the full right to education alongside others without being treated differently or put separately. A person with disability has the right to have free education up to secondary school level.The commission shall provide all necessary things that will make learning easier for persons with disabilities.
3. All public schools whether primary, secondary or higher level shall be open to persons with and persons without disabilities. Therefore, every school shall have: (a) At least one trained person that can support the educational needs of Persons with disabilities. (b) Special facilities for the proper education of Persons with disabilities. Braille, sign language and other skills for communicating with persons with disabilities shall be a part of the curricula of primary, secondary and higher level schools.
4. The education of special education teachers that will teach persons with disabilities shall be made cheaper.
5. Government will make sure that the education of children with disabilities especially those who are blind, deaf or with multiple disabilities is done in the right language, means of communication for the child and in a safe and conducive environment.
6. Government shall make sure that persons with disabilities have full access to healthcare without being treated differently because of their disability. A person with mental disability shall have free medical and health service in all public hospitals
7. A Person with a mental disability shall be given a permanent Certificate of Disability from the Commission. If while treating someone without a disability the doctor discovers a disability, the doctor with the approval of the Commission may issue a Temporary Certificate of Disability which will last for no longer than 180 days. If the disability lasts longer than 180 days, the Commission with the approval of a doctor shall issue the person a Permanent Certificate of Disability which will last for as long as the disability is there. A person issued with a Permanent Certificate of Disability shall have all the rights and privileges under this law.
8. A person that gives or collects a Certificate of Disability illegally has committed an offence and shall pay a fine of N200, 000, or go to prison for one year or both.
9. A hospital where a Deaf  person  or anyone  with communicational disability goes to, shall make provision for sign language interpreters and other kinds of special communication.
10. In cases of violence, natural disasters like flood, earthquakes, and all other emergencies, the government shall make sure that all persons with disabilities are safe and protected taking into consideration their different type of disabilities
11. In queues, Persons with disabilities shall be given first consideration and as much as possible, be attended to outside the queue. Any person that goes against this section commits an offence and shall pay a fine of N50,000 or go to prison for six months or both. When accommodation is being provided to students by schools or by employers or by government, or by service providers, or by organizations, persons with disabilities shall be given the chance to choose first.

Responsible Bodies: National Human Rights Commission, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, Civil Society Organizations, The Media and others.