By Ahmed Barnabas,
In line with promotion of access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights by women and girls with disabilities and curbing the incidences of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) against Women and Girls With Disabilities (WGWDs), Advocacy for Women With Disabilities Initiative (AWWDI) on Wednesday trained Stakeholders on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) against WGWDs.
The event was supported by Actionaid and funded by Global Affairs Canada to empower AWWDI self group leaders on knowledge about human rights to protect women and girls with disabilities and expect the leaders to step down the knowledge to their group members in the respective cluster group in FCT.
Roseline Migbole, National Public Relation Officer at Advocacy for Women With Disabilities Initiative during the training took the participants on Human Right Obligation, VAPP Act, NHRC ACTS, DISABILITY ACT And Situation of human rights that are all obliged to prevent and address violence against WGWDs, providing them with support and care.
According to her, the participants are obliged to immediately pursue all appropriate means of eliminating GBV against WGWDs.
“As health service providers, whenever WGWDs are being hurt or violated, what should be done first is taking good care of victim before addressing the case or call on the attention of Human Right Agencies” she added.
She said: “Discrimination towards people with disabilities, coupled with attitudes towards women in patriarchal societies has put WGWDs at risk of violence. Although WGWDs experience many of the same forms of violence that all women experience”.
“When gender and disability intersect, violence has unique forms and series and results in unique consequences”.
She said: it is on note that WGWDs are particularly targeted by perpetrators of violence because of social exclusion, limited mobility, lack of support structures, communication barriers and negative social perceptions.
“Hence, the range of experience by WGWDs can include physical and sexual violence as well as emotional and verbal abuse” she added.
She used the opportunity to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for signing Disability Right Act into LAW after lingering in the National Assembly for 18years. The Law seek to criminalize discrimination against PWDs. The Act PROHIBITED all forms of discrimination against PWDs. If an individual is found violating this law, he/she will pay a fine of 100,00:00 or a term of six months imprisonment. The Law impose a fine of 1million naira on corporate bodies.
“Anybody irrespective of your status who willingfully causes or inflicted physical injury on another person by means of any weapon, substance or object, commit an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5years or a fine not exceeding 100,000:00 or both” she added.
She called on all participants to enlighten members on their rights, encourage your women to speak out where necessary, report to appropriate place as regards SGBV and always create awareness about SGBV in your communities.
It was an interactive one as participants share their experience on SGBV.
The event was attended by leaders of different women with disability groups and Organizations of Persons With Disabilities.
