Lagos, Nigeria – March 8, 2024
As the world comes together to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD), the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) hosted a poignant event where women with disabilities shared their challenges and emphasized the urgent need to prioritize the rights, inclusion, and empowerment of women and girls with disabilities.
Under the theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” IWD 2024 focuses on combating economic disempowerment. For women and girls with disabilities, the challenges are compounded, navigating a landscape where gender intersects with disability, leading to heightened vulnerability to violence, social exclusion, and limited access to opportunities.
Deaconess Adedoyin Beyioku-Alse, representing the Hearing Impaired/Deaf Cluster, highlighted the absence of financial inclusion for women and girls with disabilities. She stressed the difficulty in accessing funds and loans due to societal perceptions that PWDs may struggle to thrive or repay.
“Without money, we become beggars. However, we are a work in progress. But we can only get there when we are counted as part of society,” she emphasized, underscoring the importance of education and skills, calling for the prioritization of persons with disabilities in societal structures.
Ms Assumpta Khalil, an arm amputee, urged for empowerment initiatives, emphasizing the pivotal role it plays in reducing daily challenges. She called on governments to highlight, implement, and enforce policies aimed at mitigating these challenges and stereotypes, particularly in healthcare services where women with disabilities face tough times.
Khalil addressed the issue of discrimination, highlighting cultural norms and beliefs that affect relationships and contribute to a higher rate of single mothers within the disability community. She stressed the need for increased awareness and continuous sensitization to combat these challenges.
Ms Modupe Akinsola, living with visual impairment, emphasized the problematic portrayal of PWDs in religious circles, often reduced to objects of miracles. She called for urgent public reorientation to improve the lives of women and girls with disabilities.
Tolase Kolapo, facing hearing impairment, pointed out communication as a major challenge for women with disabilities, emphasizing the inadequacy of interpreters. Oluwakemi Odusanya, visually impaired from birth, highlighted the negative stereotype labeling of PWDS and called for the eradication of such perceptions.
Bolarinwa Olasunbo, an Albino, discussed the challenges faced by people with Albinism, including discriminative labeling and negative cultural stereotypes. She underscored the impact of these attitudes, which can result in depression, low self-esteem, and even death.
Elizabeth Onayere, a visually impaired teacher, emphasized the challenges faced in accessing medical and healthcare services. She urged governments to use the health sector to propagate the challenges of PWDs and improve their treatment.
Florence Attah, Programme Officer at CCD, set the stage by acknowledging the incredible achievements of women worldwide. Underlining the theme for the year, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” she emphasized the vital importance of supporting women’s rights and contributions to society.
The event served as a powerful reminder of the invaluable contributions women make and urged a commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where every individual, regardless of gender and ability, can thrive. As the voices of women with disabilities resonated, the call for a more inclusive and equitable world echoed, acknowledging the challenges that persist and a rededication to building a future where equality is not just a goal but a reality.
In a society that often overlooks their struggles, women with disabilities stand united, breaking barriers, and demanding a future where they are not defined by their limitations but celebrated for their strength and resilience.
#IWD2024 #InclusionMatters #EmpowerHer
