National Coalition Against Gender Based Violence & Harassment, a coalition of Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria-Women Commission, AWWDI, FAECARE Foundation, SUOFOW and Open Doors for Special Learners has called for partnership with National Commission for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD) to enhance implementation of a research work on access to decent work for workers with disabilities in Nigeria.
This partnership move was made at an Advocacy visit by the Coalition to the Commission Office in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Research known as “Securing Equal Access To Decent Work In Nigeria: A report by workers with disabilities” was carried out by the Coalition with the funding support from Solidarity Center.
The Chairperson of the Coalition and Chairperson of Trade Union Congress TUC-Women Commission, Comrade Hafsaf Shaibu in her speech said that after the Geneva convention, they conducted a research on gender based violence against women at workplaces but persons with disabilities were omitted, which was not intentional, after the research, then they carried out a research on gender based Violence against women with disabilities at work place which made them to discover the need to carry out another research on challenges faced by workers with disabilities at the workplace.
Speaking further, she said that after the research, based on the findings, there is need to engage relevant agencies like the commission to ensure that the recommendations are implemented.
She noted that the NCPWD is central to ensure the implementation of the recommendations on the research for Nigeria compliance to the working conditions of persons with disabilities in line with ILO which Nigeria is a signatory.
She also showed concerns over the extra costs associated with disability and reiterated their commitment to see that a substantial allowance to cater for these extra costs (Maintenance of Assistive Devices and Transport cost) to make life easier for workers with disabilities.
Earlier, the Program Officer–GBVH, Solidarity Center, Janet Ifunanya Anaele in her speech said that in 2021, NLC carried out a research on gender based Violence supported by Solidarity Center where one of the findings was that 56 percent of women workers complained of gender based violence against them in the workplace.
“Concerns were raised during the research that community of women with disabilities were not well captured on the research. It was advised that a separate research to be conducted targeting women with disabilities which was also supported by Solidarity Center.”
“This research was run by workers with disabilities in six geopolitical zones and FCT, with at least a state per zone. The states are Plateau, Rivers, Lagos, Enugu, Borno, Kaduna and FCT”.
“The research was participatory, there were Qualitative and Quantitative data, focus group discussion, one on one interviews to gather responses from PWDs on their experiences, barriers and challenges at workplace’
She called on NCPWD to ensure implementation of the documented findings and recommendations because it was discovered that the 5percent employment quota for PWDs are not being implemented and again, the National Disability Act and ILO need to be fully implemented for the benefits of workers with disabilities.
A member of the coalition, Ms. Uchenna Ogochukwu Madueke who is a disability rights advocate and a teacher at the Open Doors Special Education Learners, Jos Plateau State added her voice to call on NCPWD to ensure that these findings and recommendations are implemented for the benefits of workers with disabilities.
Other members of the coalition at the meeting were Patience Dickson, ED, AWWDI and Barr. Sani representing SUOFOW.
The Executive Secretary, NCPWD, Mr. James David Lalu in his response commended the coalition for their initiative of a research work targeting workers with disabilities which will help to provide practical solutions towards making life better for workers with disabilities.
He expressed his desire to work with the coalition to ensure that the recommendations are implemented.
“We will work with your group to look critically at the findings and recommendations put it in a policy form to make it enforceable so that government can take ownership and then implement in full” he stated.
He informed that frantic efforts have been made on the 5percent employment quota which has not being fully implemented by MDAs.
“It is disheartening that many MDAs still find it difficult to implement this section of disability act ” he added.
He proposed a research to collect data of PWDs employed by Federal Civil Service to ascertain the level of compliance to the 5percent employment quota for PWDs by MDAs to provide evidence, identify existing gaps to engage MDAs going forward.
He also informed that NCPWD have put in place some measures to enhance the compliance on the 5percent employment quota by MDAs.
Speaking further, NCPWD Boss informed the group about efforts made for a special allowance for workers with disabilities to cushion effects of extra costs on transportation and assistive devices. He seek the support of TUC women commission to see that the process go through especially now that there is a new administration.
He reminded that the five years moratorium on the issue of physical access to public infrastructures enshrined in disability act elapses in January next year, and called on all agencies and individuals to comply to the minimum accessibility standard provided by the commission to avoid penalties in accordance with the law.
He finally reiterated commitment to work with group to implement labour laws to guarantee decent work for workers with disabilities in line with Section 28 of Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities ( Prohibition) Act 2018.
The high point of the visit was the presentation of the documented research findings and recommendations to the Executive Secretary by the Chairperson, TUC women commission and also the Chairperson of the coalition, Comrade Hafsaf Shaibu.
