By Kenneth Alabaraonye, TQM reporter,
Initiative for Disability Inclusion and Diversity (INCLUDE) in conjuction with National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) carried out a press conference on Thursday, 3rd December, 2020 in Abuja to commemorate the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).
The Executive Secretary ably represented by the Director of Woman, Child and Vulnerable Groups Department, Barrister Harry Ogwuche Obe in his press statement felicitates with the international and local communities of persons with disabilities as the entire world celebrate this year’s disability day. He further said that International Day of Persons with Disabilities is in line with the global efforts at combating the ravaging heath pandemic of COVlD-19’, this year’s theme Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID- 19 World” centres on the road to recovery.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) which is celebrated every year on 3rd December sets to promote full and equal participation of persons with disabilities (pwds) in all developmental spheres of life thereby limiting any form of discrimination against PWDs as a result of their status. This placed the objective of the day squarely within the mandate of the National Human Rights Commission which is to promote and protect the rights of all including that of persons with disabilities.
Speaking further, he said that there is no doubt that everyone is at risk of COVID 19. Persons with disabilities however, are at greater risks especially those with existing health conditions because of their unique abilities.
The pandemic which has adversely affected the capacity of countries in the area of provision of health care, social protection assurances as well as the entire economy of the world has had a greater impact on PWDs. It has also increased barriers to the actualization of their rights such as their right to health, right to education, right to live in a community among others.
“Furthermore, the locked down had a greater impact on work, income and livelihood of PWDs. The restriction of movement left them inaccessible to food, drugs and essential goods as well as hindered them from carrying out their daily chores such as eating, bathing, cooking, etc for those who require assistance. PWDs therefore require well thought out special protection measures in the area of health care and other specific needs in order to get over their numerous vulnerabilities. He further stated that National Human Rights Institution with the mandate to protect the rights of all, our key priority is to upscale protection for vulnerable groups such as PWDs”.
“At present, we have a full-fledged and dedicated department for Women, Children and other vulnerable groups and a disability focus thematic team. With this specific focus, the Commission has been able to sustain focus of PWDs issues as a high profile subject of interest aimed at ensuring a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable disability friendly post COVID-19 society” he stated.
As the world marks this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) in the midst of a pandemic, the Commission calls on the government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the inclusion of PWDs in all areas of recovery, rebuilding efforts from the COVID -19 devastation and prevention of all forms of discrimination and inequalities against pwds in line with the expectations of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 amongst others.
To you the disability community, the Commission is usually pained whenever we hear sounds of destructive disunity within your ranks. The need for you to work together in unity and oneness in order to achieve the desired inclusion and protection in line with human rights expectations can never be overemphasized. As the popular saying goes, a house divided against it cannot stand, but collapse. UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.
The President of The Initiative for Disability Inclusion and Diversity (INCLUD) Bilkisu Ado Zango in her statement said that this year’s celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities with the theme: Building Back Better: towards a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World is an annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities which was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3 which set aside December 3 every year to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
Today December 3, 2020, we join the world in celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities with the aim of increasing public awareness, sensitizing on disability issues and advocating for the dignity of people with different forms of disabilities. The Initiative for Disability Inclusion and Diversity (INCLUD) is a registered non-governmental organization of a formidable network of sixty-two (62) individual organizations representing women and girls with disabilities.
“Our mission is to be a Unified voice and a collection of forces to uphold the rights and dignity of women and girls with disabilities, by eliminating barriers to full integration and advocating full inclusion and participation in development process to improve the deplorable lives and life chances of women and girls with disabilities in our patriarchal society”.
“Our organization is a huge opportunity for women with and without disabilities to work together to build confidence, self-esteem and positive expectations about life goals through the following outstanding objectives: Undertaking systemic advocacy Providing policy advice Undertaking Research Providing information and education to build a healthy synergy with other women groups.”
In the year 2010 the United Nations estimated that Nigeria as a country had 10% of persons living with disabilities. In 2011, the UN World Report on Disability published that 25 million Nigerians live with one form of disability or the other. Presently, Nigerians living with disabilities are approximated at 28 million persons and that 60% of the 28 million are women.
“Our gathering here today is to raise our voice to the awareness that approximately 28 million Nigerians of which 60% are women are confronted by environmental and social barriers”.
Disability inclusion is an essential condition to upholding human rights, sustainable development, and peace and security. It is also central to the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind.
The commitment to realizing the rights of persons with disabilities is not only a matter of justice; it is an investment in a common future. Nigeria’s economic, political and social systems are not accessible to persons with disabilities. Our governments, religious institutions, financial institutions, educational institutions, the media etc. have bigger roles to play in helping to overcome these barriers.
She said that all have important roles in eradicating disablement in Nigeria, especially at this time when the world is battling with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The global crisis of COVID-1 9 has deepened pre-existing inequalities, exposing the extent of exclusion and highlighting that work on disability inclusion is imperative. People with disabilities (one billion people in the world) are the most excluded groups in our society and are among the hardest hit in this crisis in terms of fatalities. Even under normal circumstances, persons with disabilities are less likely to access health care, education, employment and to participate in the community” she added.
An integrated approach is required to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind. While acknowledging that the pandemic threatened all members of our society, however, women and girls with disabilities were and still are disproportionately impacted due to the systemic institutional, environmental and attitudinal barriers that we encounter in our daily lives. It is also in the public domain that security for women and girls with disabilities was put to test as crimes and violence tremendously increased during the lockdown, she stated.
“Disability inclusion will result in a COVID I9 response and recovery that better serves everyone, more fully suppressing the virus, as well as building back better. It will provide for more agile systems capable of responding to complex situations, reaching the furthest behind first. It is important that frameworks of policies and responses to COVID-19 issues are disability inclusive. She furthermore said that Building back better towards a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 nation that the Nigerian society should not overlook the fact that the increased rate of hunger and malnutrition among persons with disabilities is a significant factor needing urgent attention”.
“The prevailing situation of non-availability, non-affordability and non-accessibility of food to persons with disabilities in Nigeria is contrary to FAQ’s standards which entails that the central issue to life sustenance is access to food”.
She calls on governments to ensure that food, a necessity to life is within the reach of people who need it the most. Post COVID-19 policies should be tilted towards addressing the needs and situations of persons with disabilities.
Achievement of accessibility and affordability to basic needs of life involves redistributive public policies in terms of income and employment by the governments. Persons with disabilities need employment in order to increase access to social insurance based on employment and in order to build economic resilience in the post COVID-19 Nigeria, she advocated.
Persons with disabilities are skilled /talented persons who are ready to render services and contribute their quota to Nigeria’s development process. She demands to be dignified through the services we can render, rather than being regarded as recipients of charity.
Building back Nigeria in the post COVID-19 must be in consideration of unique elects of disruptions triggered by lockdowns, the new normal’ and the challenges of accessing technological equipment and other supports to enable persons with disabilities be at par with other citizens and be resilience to the changing world.
The group called on government to take appropriate measures that would specifically protect persons with disabilities through strengthened social safety net because PWDs are among the poorest and most vulnerable group. In addition to the above they asked for the following:
- Disability inclusive proposed post COVID-19 housing programme
- Accessible public works and road construction programme
- Households of persons with disabilities to be included in the proposed installation of solar systems
- Allocation of farmlands to persons with disabilities in all the states for the mass agricultural programme
SOME PICTURES OF THE EVENT
