TQM report,
Rights holders and duty-bearers in DRAC’s Making It Work project funded by VOICE Nigeria, came together to share knowledge and best practices gained and used so far in a one-day accountability forum in Abuja.
The Executive Director, DRAC, Dr. Irene Ojiugo Patrick-Ogbogu in her opening remarks after recognizing women in commemoration of the International Women’s Day, stated that the meeting was organized to provide opportunity for stakeholders to share their learning so far on “Making it Work” Project. DRAC has been interfacing with the various duty-bearers since the inception of the project via advocacy, capacity building, research, etc and is bringing those stakeholders together to share learnings ,significant changes/results and best practices so far as well as to review strategies that worked towards achieving the project goal and objectives. She also informed participants that the project is on its last legs therefore the meeting is also a way to ascertain what the project has been able to achieve since its inception in 2019.
The Program Officer of DRAC, Amaka Agwu while presenting the activities so far on Making it Work Project said that within the project, DRAC has carried out advocacy, building capacity of Women and Girls with Disabilities, OPDs, the Media, Healthcare providers and Young Innovators who have used technology to also develop service delivery solution towards improving access to SRH for women and girls with disabilities. She also said that DRAC have been able to put in place SRH network to facilitate and sustain the advocacy for the implementation of the National policy on SRHR of PWDs with emphasis on women and girls.
The participants were grouped in accordance with the stakeholder they belong, Service Providers, Innovators, Women and Girls with Disabilities, OPDs and The Media. The Participants were able to share their knowledge in attitude, practice and skills towards SRH of Women with disabilities and what they intended to do to ensure a better healthcare service delivery to women and girls with disabilities.
There have been some significant changes among the stakeholders going by the knowledge and results they shared, some hospitals have started providing signage to assist the deaf, the positive attitude towards PWDs have improved in some hospital in the FCT and a good number of the professionals have knowledge of SRHR of women and girls with disabilities, the OPDs and Women with Disabilities have carried out some advocacy on the SRHR, engaging the critical stakeholders and educating other women with disabilities on SRHR, The Media knowledge of SRHR have improved, including Disability laws and policies and the again more focus on disability issues among the use of right terminology in reporting disability matters, focusing more on empowering message about PWDs not pitiful message that the media were known for.
Some pictures of the event:
