Parents With Children With Disabilities, Deaf Resource Centre and National Commission for Persons With Disabilites (NCPWD) called for the promotion of rights of children with disabilities by ensuring access to free, safe, inclusive, accessible and equitable quality education and securing assistive technology.
The Call was made on Saturday in Abuja when Deaf Resource Centre (DRC) in partnership with National Commission for Persons With disabilities (NCPWD) and Parents With Children With Disabilities with the support from Sightsavers, Potters Gallery Initiative and Inclusive Friends Association put together event to mark International Day for Persons With Disabilites and 16th Days of Activism.
Fatima Abubakar Doki, a parent and a staff of National Association of Persons With Disabilites speaking on behalf of the parents of children with disabilities in press conference said that around the world, there are nearly 240 million children with disabilities, 1 in 10 children worldwide- are being denied basic rights.
According to UNFPA (2021) World population dashboard as well as the WHO/World Bank (2011) report on disability, Nigeria is home to an estimated 32 million persons with disabilities, most of whom are children.
“Like every child in the world, children with disabilities have the right to be nurtured through responsive care, supported in education, and provided with adequate nutrition and social protection, including in humanitarian situations. But all too often, such rights are denied”.
She said that the celebration aimed to increase understanding and awareness of disability issues and the abilities of Persons with disabilities; promote the full and effective participation in society for the dignity, rights and well-being of Persons with disabilities; as well as celebrate the achievements and contributions of Persons with disabilities.
Speaking further, she said that according to the United Nation Children Education Fund (UNICEF) latest data, compared to children without disabilities, children with disabilities are:24 per cent less likely to receive early stimulation and responsive care. Children with disabilities risk missing out on the care and stimulation they need in the early years due to increased exposure to factors that makes them more vulnerable. These include poverty, stigma, and discrimination, exclusion from early learning opportunities, institutionalization, violence, abuse and neglect.
“42 per cent less likely to have foundational reading and numeracy skills. Children with disabilities typically face additional barriers that place them at higher risk of experiencing less than optimal educational trajectories. When parents do search for educational opportunities for their children, they often find schools and classrooms that are not accessible, either physically or due to the lack of appropriate learning materials.
49 per cent more likely to have never attended school, 51 per cent more likely to feel unhappy and 41 per cent more likely to feel discriminated against.
She said that the struggle for rights of persons with disabilities has gain more grounds in recent in Nigeria by the signing of the Discrimination Against Persons with disabilities (Prohibition) bill into Law in 2019 by President Mohammadu Buhari and subsequent establishment of the National Commission for Persons with disabilities in 2020, unveils a new dispensation in the pursuit for the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities including children with disabilities in Nigeria.
“Most importantly the implementation of the provision of the Act is at its critical point due to the fact that the public is yet to understand the operationalization of the Act, as it relates to equal right to health, right education, and right to work, right to public life and its relevant sections.
Some of the huddles crossed to make the law relevant today came from the commitment of the Nigeria disability community.
“On this note, as the world celebrates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Parents of Children with Disabilities forum would like to call upon government at all levels, federal government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development actors, donors, and the private sector to:
“Provide equal opportunities for children with disabilities by ensuring access to free, safe, inclusive, accessible and equitable quality education. This should include securing assistive technology”
“Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all Persons with disabilities at all ages. All health care service delivery must be accessible and inclusive: birth registration, early childhood development, health, nutrition, immunizations and social services must be accessible and inclusive of children with disabilities and their families throughout their lives, wherever they may live, in terms of stability and emergency”.
“Stigma and discrimination are eradicated by supporting and strengthening the effective implementation of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act in Nigeria”.”Ensure protection against violence, abuse and neglect of children with disabilities by supporting child protection systems and workforces to become disability-inclusive.”
“Ensure mental health and psychosocial support services are accessible to children with disabilities and their families by being integrated into community- based healthcare, protection and justice services”.
“Ensure full and productive employment, decent work and sustainable economic growth for Persons with disabilities”.
Mr. Soji Adewale, Director, Policy and Research at National Commission or Persons With Disabilites (NCPWD) who represented Executive Secretary of NCPWD, Mr.James Lalu appreciated Deaf Resource Centre, Sightsavers, Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) and Parents Of Children with disabilities.
He recognized that what parents of children with disabilities are doing is about promote the rights of persons with disabilities. Issues about disability affect the parents and the family, disability should be taken to the level where everyone should know what is all about.
“Discrimination sometimes comes out of ignorance, awareness needs to be created so that people will have better understanding about disability”. He reiterated the commission commitment towards collaborated with other organizations to promote disability inclusion.
Mrs Victoria, Program Officer at Deaf Resource Centre said that the event is to bring together parents of children with disabilities, Deaf Resource Centre, Children with disabilities, others to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities. She said that it is an opportunity to use art and games to create awareness about challenges facing persons with disabilities. In the spirit of leave no one behind, it is also a forum to advocate for SGDs and other programs that promotes disability inclusion.
Mr. Chris Agbo, Executive Director, The Qualitative Magazine and National Association of Persons With physical Disabilities (NAPWPD) FCT Chapter in his goodwill message appreciated Deaf Resource Centre for bringing together parents with children with disabilities saying that they have been sidelined and they are the first caregivers so they should be carried along. He promised to work with Deaf Resource Centre and other organizations to promote the rights of children with disabilities.
Esther Bature from Sightsavers in her remark said that it is strategic and welcome development to see Deaf Resource Centre and other Organizations bring together parents of children with disabilities,
Barr. Danlami Basharu in his remark said that it is good to note that parents of children with disabilities are coming together to chart course of their children. Persons With Disabilites have parents and what is going on with them is very important, they are recognized by UNCRPD, African Protocol on the rights of Persons with Disability, Disability Act.
The event witnessed art exhibition by Potters Gallery Initiative and games put together by Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) to mark the end of 16 days of activism which start on 25 November, 2022.
