| Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), an organization lead by Grace Jerry, a woman with disability who got disability as result of spinal cord injuries after being involved in an accident, is formed out of the founder’s experience focuses on issues relating to an inclusive society for persons with disabilities. As the world marks International Women’s Day, IFA in commemoration of the day shared some facts about the challenges faced by women with disabilities. In a press release titled Will You Break The Bias? signed by the Executive Director, Grace Jerry, the group said that Women with Disabilities in Nigeria persistently face stigma, discrimination, and barriers to accessing basic social services and economic opportunities. They are often at a grilled intersection of their gender and disability. “The advent and impact of Covid-19 further reinforce greater barriers to their access to basic services and social safety nets. These challenges result in their social exclusion in society. According to NBS 2021 report, the Nigerian Unemployment rate hit an all-time high of 33.3%. With this reality, what does fate has for Persons with Disability with this Trafficked Labour Market?” “Women with Disabilities are more likely to experience more frequent job denials than the general populace. Better still, women with disabilities are more vulnerable to experience multidimensional poverty than the general populace. A gender representation in the Nigerian National Parliament (Senate and House of Representatives) reveals; that about 6% of women in Nigeria’s parliament are women with no political representation from women with disabilities”. The group stated that most movements on gender and feminism mainstreaming exclude women with disabilities in their activism. Perhaps, there is a lack of empathy and awareness. Conversations surrounding abuse and lopsided opportunities are mostly; characterized by the omission of women with disabilities in focus Break the Bias “The exclusion of women with disabilities in the proposition of programs and opportunities is a monumental form of bias. Bias limits the participation of women with disabilities in social and political affairs”. “The potential of very many women with disabilities remains untapped and unrecognized, leaving a majority living in poverty, dependence, and social exclusion”.  “It is possible to achieve an inclusive world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination”. “It is crucial for individuals, government, stakeholders, and CSOs to deepen the implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018”. “This law protects the rights of persons with disabilities and counters issues of bias, discrimination, and stereotypes” Join in the Crusade as we #BreakTheBias start with your community today! Happy International Women’s Day 2022 |
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