National Commission for Persons With Disabilites NCPWD has called on the Public, MDAs, CSOs and development partners to create an enabling environment for women and girls with disabilites who are digitally inclined to enhance their full potentials.
The Executive Secretary of NCPWD, Mr James Lalu who was represented by Patience Ogolo-Dickson, the Head, Women and Gender Unit, NCPWD made this call during an awareness rally organized by the commission to mark the 2023 International Women’s Day.
Mrs Patience told TQM that this year’s International Women’s Day theme “DigitalALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” focuses on the innovative ways towards a world of digital technology.
She said that International Women’s Day is an annual event set aside by the UN, it comes up every March 8 to commemorate and celebrate the progress and achievements of women across the globe.
She highlighted SDGs in achieving full inclusion in a world free of stereotypes and discrimination but diverse, equitable and inclusive particularly in areas of inclusive digital and innovative technology as regards women with disabilites where they are able to amplify their issues through the use of technology including in reporting gender based violence, reducing discrimination and advance disability inclusive innovative technology for women with disabilites and increasing knowledge among stakeholders.
She seek a collective effort towards achieving gender equality which is key to increasing empowerment of women with disabilites.
“Efforts are consciously being made to end gender inequality and put in place mechanisms that will encourage full participation and equal opportunities for women with disabilites. The absence of these provisions continue to hinder the growth of women who have been deprived of access to social, political and economic participation”
“Achieving gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls, is not limited to women without disability but also women and girls with disabilites. This is only key to human rights issue and is also one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 5) as the central claim of “Leaving No One Behind”.
She restated the commission’s commitments towards advancing the issues of all persons with disabilites (PWDs) including achieving gender equality, women with disabilites who are faced with intersectional barrier first as women and as women with disabilites.
She recognized International and National Laws and instruments which also provided rights for persons with disabilites which includes right to innovative technology.
Disability Inclusive Innovation provides life-changing benefits, improve wellbeing and access to different services for PWDs including self-reporting gender based violence and provide access to diverse services such as healthcare, education, and employment, and to self reporting GBV cases.
She reiterated the Commission’s commitments to join hands with other organizations leaving no stone unturned to create enabling environment for women with disabilites in area of invocation.
The rally was done in partnership with spotlight initiative through Foundation for Resilient Empowerment and Development (FRED Nigeria).
Women with Disabilities, Staff of NCPWD, Representatives of partner organization and the media marched from NCPWD’s office to Millennium Park with placards creating awareness on peculiar challenges faced by women with disabilites.
