Project to spotlight marginalised disability groups and push for full implementation of Disability Rights Act in FCT and Adamawa
ABUJA — In a bold move to dismantle deep-rooted, layered discrimination and human rights violations faced by Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria, CBM Global Disability Inclusion has officially launched the ‘Rights in Action’ project — a transformative, two-year initiative aimed at promoting equality, dignity, and self-determination for the most marginalised within the disability community.
The project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, will be implemented in Abuja (FCT) and Adamawa State by two of Nigeria’s most influential disability rights organisations — the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA). The initiative seeks to address the unique challenges of underrepresented disability groups and empower them to become active participants in policy-making and governance processes that directly affect their lives.
Speaking at the project launch in Abuja, Mr. Abdulazeez Musa, Country Director of CBM Global Disability Inclusion, described the project as a people-led movement built by Organisations of Persons With Disabilities (OPDs), designed to bridge the wide gaps of inclusion even within the disability community.
“The ‘Rights in Action’ project is not just about addressing marginalisation from society. It’s also about confronting the intersectional discrimination that exists within the disability community itself,” Musa said. “We will focus on often-neglected groups such as persons with intellectual or learning disabilities, the deaf-blind, and those with cerebral palsy—groups who are doubly excluded.”
According to Musa, although Nigeria has made legislative strides by passing the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018, enforcement remains dismally weak, largely due to inadequate budgetary allocations, institutional inertia, and harmful societal attitudes.
“Nigeria is not short of good laws. What we are short of is implementation,” he noted. “People still see PWDs as incapable of contributing to nation-building. This mindset must change. The Rights in Action project will challenge that narrative by amplifying voices that have been sidelined for far too long.”
Musa further explained that the project will build the capacity of OPDs to design, fund, and implement their own solutions. “They know their challenges best. We are simply here to provide technical support and ensure their voices lead the change,” he added.
Also speaking at the launch, Mrs. Grace Jerry, Executive Director of Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), emphasized the critical need to spotlight marginalised disability groups that are rarely involved in high-level decision-making processes.
“Many OPDs have historically been excluded from policy formation. We are here to change that,” Jerry said. “This project is about amplification—giving the deaf-blind, persons with intellectual disabilities, and other lesser-represented communities the tools to speak and act for themselves.”
She highlighted the case of the deaf-blind community, one of the most invisible and misunderstood disability groups in Nigeria, noting that their absence from national policy conversations has had devastating consequences on their access to education, healthcare, and employment.
“By empowering these groups, we’re not just filling a gap—we’re building a new inclusive framework from the ground up,” Jerry said.
Mr. Abdullahi Usman, President of JONAPWD, reiterated the internal challenges of representation within the disability rights movement itself.
“Even within our own community, there are PWDs who are often told they ‘don’t qualify’—those with albinism, those with intellectual challenges, and the deaf-blind. This project will serve as a mirror and a megaphone. It’s time we understood that all PWDs have equal rights—both within our community and in the broader Nigerian society,” he stated.
The event was graced by government officials and rights advocates who pledged institutional backing for the project.
Ms. Sweet Okundaye, Director of Legal Services at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, commended CBM Global for its leadership and vision. She promised the full support of the Ministry in ensuring that the project’s outcomes are integrated into national policy frameworks.
Ms. Oluchi Adieze, Desk Officer on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the National Human Rights Commission, reaffirmed the Commission’s mandate to protect and enforce the rights of all Nigerians, especially marginalised groups.
“This project aligns with our core mission. We encourage the implementing partners to leverage our state offices in Adamawa and the FCT to address human rights challenges from the grassroots,” Adieze said.
A Turning Point in Nigeria’s Inclusion Journey
The ‘Rights in Action’ project is not just another programme—it is a call to dismantle systemic neglect, amplify suppressed voices, and foster sustainable, community-led change. By focusing on intersectionality, it confronts a hard truth: discrimination against PWDs is not one-size-fits-all.
With the support of international donors, technical partners, and national stakeholders, the initiative is set to shift narratives, challenge outdated perceptions, and ensure that no one is left behind, not even within the disability community.
As the project unfolds over the next two years, its success may well become a blueprint for what genuine disability inclusion should look like—not just in Nigeria, but across Africa.
