Potter’s Gallery Initiative on 15th December, 2021 organized a One Day Stakeholders Review Meeting On Global Disability Summit.
The Review Meeting which was supported CBM Global brought together experts as a follow up meeting on the last Global Disability Summit.
According to the Executive Director, Potters Gallery Initiative, Mr. Donald Unaka, the meeting was to look at governments commitments at the last Global summit and recommend the way forward in promoting disability inclusive development.
There are about 7 keys Commitments from government, they are as the following; sexual and reproductive health, inclusive education, data gathering and investment, economic empowerment and employment, digital technology.
He also said the meeting is also to review emerging opportunities in the arts culture and creative industry.
“This with a view to ensure that the
Disability Act is strictly implemented as the grace period of the law will come to an end in
January 2024″.
“My organization which has been making intervention in the area of creative industry, we are also have interest in economic empowerment and employment, looking at the nexus between economic empowerment, employment, entrepreneurship and job creation of persons with disabilities”
“These formed part of what we are looking at in this meeting through panel discussion on Imaging Opportunities In the Arts And Creative Industry.
He informed that there would be a communique that would be use to drive further engagement of government on the commitments especially on economic empowerment and employment through the creative industry.
He also informed that in the creative industry, there was nothing for inclusion of Persons With Disabilities when his organization delve into it but as the grace period in Disability Act is coming to an end by January, there is need for more awareness creation and engagement of key stakeholders.
“I am glad that issue of disability is now a matter of right, so PWDs now have right when it comes to resources allocation, appointment, investment etc.
Speaking on the level of implementation of the commitments so far, Mr. Donald told The Qualitative Magazine that out of the seven commitments, the area government has done well are in the enactment of Disability Act, signing of Conventions and Treaties on Disability Matters and formulation of Policies such as National Policy On Sexual And Reproductive health of Persons With Disabilities with emphasis on women and girls, National Policy On Inclusive Education and National Policy On Albinism.