FAECARE foundation has called on Rivers State government to revisit Persons with Disabilities Welfare (Enhancement) Law of 2012 and kickstart full implementation.
This call was made during press conference organized by FAECARE Foundation as part of their Disability Rights Initiative Project which focused on advancing the rights of Persons with Disabilities in Rivers State.
The goal of the project is to advocate for the implementation of disability laws in Rivers State by pushing for the implementation of these laws to address inequalities, including inequalities towards women and girls with disabilities.
This project is supported by Disability Rights Fund (DRF).
Ndifreke (Freky) Andrew-Essien, the Executive Director, FAECARE Foundation said: “
“Persons with Disabilities Welfare (Enhancement) Law of 2012. A law that most people in Rivers State Disability community doesn’t know that it exist, talk less of the general public”.
She expressed worry that it remain very far from the reality of implementation of this laws in Rivers State.
She stated that there is over 30 million PWDs in Nigeria, with a good percentage of the population resides in South-South Region of Nigeria.
She added that Persons with Disabilities, continue to constitute one of the poorest, socially excluded, and marginalized groups within the society.
“Our society has failed to acknowledge that like any other persons, PWDs value many of the same subjects considered important by the general public. We have fundamental human rights. The right to full and equal enjoyment of all human rights, fundamental freedoms and respect for our inherent human dignity”.
She educated that the conceptual development over the last 10–20 years has expanded the understanding of disability from welfare to social and rights-based.
“It has therefore become necessary to take disability into account in development as people with disabilities represent a significant proportion of the people”.
“Real grass root development cannot progress in a cohesive manner if a significant part of the population continues to be treated differently and discriminated against because of their disabilities”
“It is an assortment of experiences that affects a person’s ability to function on an equal basis with others in the society in which he or she lives. It is on this premise that we put forward this project”.
“Disability Rights Initiative Project (DRIP)” to shift in favor of the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Rivers state, with a lot of emphasis on women and girls with disabilities. Our approach on this project, is one that focuses on equipping and empowering PWDs with the knowledge, and skills to strategically advocate for their rights” she explained.
Explaining further, she said that the project promotes PWDs as advocates for change they desire. It positions PWDs as the agents of the change they pursue, while seeking the right partnerships that will amplify their voices at different levels in society.
“Failure to intentionally and consistently include PWDs in promoting their own rights and awareness raising will continue to cause an increase inequalities and this project addresses this by building the capacity of the PWDs in Rivers State to become strategic advocates”.
“With the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act in its fourth year, it has become very essential that we must insist on the implementation of the Rivers State Persons with Disabilities Welfare (Enhancement) Law of 2012.
She urged PWDs to use this elections in Nigeria to make demands looking at the manifestos and agendas released, there is no better time than now to demand from current and prospective leaders to do right thing, by building an inclusive society for all by making disability inclusion and disability mainstreaming their mandate.
She also said that the government especially need to understand that policies need to be acted on and laws should be implemented.
FAECARE Foundation therefore recommends that;
The protection and advancement of the rights of Persons with disabilities be treated as a priority in Rivers state.
That the statutory provisions of the laws and the rights of persons with disabilities as detailed in the CRPD (UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act, (2018) and the Rivers State Persons with Disabilities Welfare (Enhancement) Law of 2012 be implemented as a starting point.
The Government must roll out better laws that really promote the rights of Persons with disabilities in this state.
The Government should re-instate relevant offices, councils and committees at state, local government level and all government parastatals, to see to the advancement and promotion of the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities in Rivers State.
Government of Rivers state should make budgeting inclusive to accommodate the needs of Persons with Disabilities, Disability Mainstreaming and Inclusion, for the sustainable growth and development of the State.
The Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, should make deliberate efforts to ensure that disability issues do not take on a charity model or medical model only but promote and ensure the rights of persons with disabilities and implementation of the existing laws.
The Ministry of Women Affairs should intentionally mainstream disability in all its affairs, interventions and programs as it affects women, ensuring that women with disabilities are no longer disenfranchised and excluded.
Relevant MDAs should stop approving inaccessible private and public buildings used by the public and enforce relevant restructuring and utilities for accessibility in these buildings as provided for in the act.
The media should practice proper representation of disability and persons with disabilities in main stream media.
The media should partner with organizations of persons with disabilities to increase awareness on the provisions of these laws, highlighting that violation of Disability rights is a punishable offence under current existing laws.
Inclusive communication must become a priority for media houses when communicating public information, providing access to information.
Civil Society Organizations, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and Persons with disabilities themselves, must work together to ensure that these existing laws are implemented at all levels of governance (State and Local Government).
As strategic partners in this quest for social inclusion, we urge you to please escalate this issue through your respective medium so it gets the much needed attention required to effect a responsive change to include PWDs needs and rights in Rivers State.
We call on all stakeholders, in the public, private and social sector, and growth seeking individuals in Rivers State to prioritize disability rights, inclusion and disability mainstreaming in all systems, institutions and the society at large in Rivers State.
Disability is Everyone’s business.
