TQM report

The Albino Foundation (TAF) organized a virtual meeting for the validation of persons with disabilities inclusive electoral bill with office of the Deputy Senate President.

The Memorandum on the ongoing Electoral Amendment Act before the National Assembly is being championed by The Albino Foundation, the disability community and office of the Deputy Senate President with support from European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) and European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS. The import of the memorandum is to ensure that the present Electoral Amendment Act is inclusive of persons with disabilities’ participation in the political and electoral processes in Nigeria.

The Founder and CEO of TAF, Jake Epelle in his opening remark thanked specially all the members of the drafting committee for their commitment and sacrifices. He urged leaders of disability community present at the meeting to make their valuable contributions to the document as it is a good opportunity to ensure disability inclusion in the electoral act.

Otive Igbuzor from the office of the Deputy Senator President reminded the leaders of disability community that the work has just started because if the memorandum goes to the lawmakers, the group will continue to engage to ensure that these provisions would be adopted by the lawmakers. He promised to continue to provide valuable information to the group and also continue to play major role in the advocacy to ensure disability inclusion in electoral act.  

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The Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Sam Amadi read out the contents of the PWDs memorandum and leaders of disability community pointed out some mistakes and suggestions for amendments.

The committee considered core principle to guide the proposal for the amendment, they are: Inclusiveness, Enforceability, Cost-efficient, Sustainability and Omnibus Provision.

The committee recommended amendments section by section and some of the recommendations, from the omnibus provisions, we have, Ensuring that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy to understand and use; Protecting the right of persons with disabilities to vote by secret ballot in elections and public referendums without intimidation and undue difficulty by providing appropriate technologies; Guaranteeing the free expression of the will of persons with disabilities as electors and to this end, allowing assistance in voting by a person of their own choice; and Encouraging political parties to ensure that venues, process, and methodology for nominating and selecting candidates for elective positions must be accessible to persons with disabilities.

The Commission SHALL take reasonable steps to ensure that voters with disabilities are assisted at the polling place by the provision of suitable means of communication, such as Braille ballot guides, Tactile voting system, magnifying glasses, Election Day written instructions, Large embossed print or electronic devices or sign language interpretation, or off-site voting in appropriate cases, All registered voters with disabilities shall enjoy priority voting and many other recommendations( TQM will share the full amended copy with you when it is released by the committee).

Other relevant recommendations are introduction of type of disability in the National Register for Voters and introduction of electronic means of voting which will enhance the participation of PWDs in the electoral process but an expert advised that electronic voting would require the amendments of the constitution, advising that PWDs make that case when the amendment of the constitution comes up.

The document was followed line by line for inputs, grammatical corrections and others.

The meeting witnessed the participation of disability rights advocates such as Hamza Fassi-Fihri(ECES representative), Ene Ede( JONAPWD BOT member), Danlami Basharu ( Chair, UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), Grace Jerry (ED, IFA), Wilson Manji( ECES) moderator of the meeting, Theophilus Odaudu( Coordinator, DRF), Daniel Onwe (President ALDIN), Barrister Okey Kanu, Chris Agbo(ED, The Qualitative Magazine TQM), Damian Ivom(TAF), Patience Ogolo(AWWDI), Augustine Onyeachonam( JONAPWD Enugu), Abdullahi Jurgunu (Disability Leader PDP), Barrister Catherine Edeh(VDI), Laolu Olawumi and many others.

TQM learnt that after the committee finished effecting the corrections on the document, it would be transmitted to the office of the Deputy Senate President who is handling workings on the process of electoral act amendments.   

TQM report

Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) on Saturday 10th October, 2020 released their comprehensive report of the findings of the observers they deployed to the polling units across Ondo state to monitor the election and ascertain the level of adherence to INEC’s Framework on Access and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the Electoral Process and other relevant guidelines in the Ondo Governorship Election. The observers were persons with disabilities who were well trained by IFA so they know what it is expected of them, therefore, their findings are the true reflection of the level of disability inclusion in the ongoing Ondo governorship election.

Below is the full report which was signed by the Executive Director of IFA, Grace Jerry.

Preamble:
Against all odds, the 10th October 2020 governorship election for the apex democratic position in Ondo state was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as earlier scheduled by the commission. Voters in Ondo state across the 18 local government have the opportunity to decide the candidate of their choice who will steer the will of leadership for the state for the next four (4) years.

Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) an Organisation with ardent concern on inclusion of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in democratic issues, deployed a team of trained observers across the 18 LGAs of the states while other members of the team roved several Pooling Units (PU) within the state capital. Observers were required to serve as stationary at the LGAs as they observe the entire election day process but, with due diligence on assistive materials for PWDs as assured by INEC as they observe all other basic process issues.
From the deployments, IFA team of observers observed that;

Braille Ballot Guide (BBG):
It was observed from the PUs visited that, the BBG was deployed to most of the PU to enable voters who were visually impaired cast their votes for candidates of their choice independently. Some other PU visited however did not have the BBG at their PU. The Yiaga Africa report captured that, the Braille ballot guide was present in 59% of sampled PUs. An explanation provided by some Presiding Officers however proved that, INEC had used the Data for inclusion submitted to them by Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) in the distribution of the BBG and other assistive materials.

Voter turnout:
A high number of the polling units visited by IFA shows clearly the impact of various voter education conducted by IFA and other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as there was high voter turnout of voters who were PWDs, young men and women, the aged, nursing mothers expressing their eagerness to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice.

INEC Logistics Deployment:
IFA observed the impact of various advocacies to INEC to be impactful as a high number of PUs across the state enjoyed adequate logistics arrangement which is impressive and commendable. Kits and non-sensitive materials were properly arranged. At least, a considerable number of INEC officials and voting materials got to most polling units visited early and reports across the state indicated that the average PUs commenced at 8:30am.

Flat Surface Ground Voting:
IFA observed that, most of the PU were still not accessible for PWDs as polling officials still had their set up on the pavement at most locations in Akure South but few PUs were set up on a flat ground. IFA observed that most PUs located in front of a residential building had issues of accessibility.

Priority Voting:
IFA observed that, there was high level of priority voting for PWDs during the election and this is highly commendable for INEC. This attitude was said to have started after the early rains. At the Ago Ireti settlement, there were quite large turnout of PWDs voters, PU code 001 likewise at Akure South Ward 4 unit 14 where we had large number of deaf voters cast their votes and Priority voting was given to PWD. However, voters revoked to priority voting system at PU 28/06/04/014 Oke-Ijebo Osikot Akinjos.

Magnifying Glasses:
In most PU visited, only few had the magnifying glasses which is required to assist voters who have albinism or visually impaired to vote without assistance.

Form EC30E PWD:
The instruction day poster was practically missing in most PUs visited by IFA in Akure South but present at Akoko North East, PU 007. However, PU 28/06/04/014 Oke-Ijebo Osikot Akinjos and 28/06/04/011 were highly populated with deaf voters who eventually were able to cast their votes upon arranging their own sign language interpreter. As the form required to assist deaf voters understand voting process in the absence of a sign language interpreters was not available. However, PWD posters Form EC 30E were present in 90% of polling units according to the Yiaga Africa’s report. This report depicts the usability of PWDs data submitted to INEC by Inclusive Friends Association which made deployment of assistive materials apt.

Form PWDEC40H:
IFA observed that form EC40H was available at all PUs visited by our observers and the usability was quite very impressive at PU that PWDs visited to cast their votes as details of PWDs were captured. Reports from voters with disabilities had it that, they requested for forms after casting their votes at their various PUs and they had their disability status recorded on the form. This form is use to capture data of PWDs in other to assist INEC’s deployment for PWDs in future elections and enhancing its database.

Security:
At every PUs visited, there was the presence security officials who also conducted themselves very professionally thereby providing confidence for PWDs in casting their votes.

Vote Buying:
IFA observers witnessed very low activity of vote buying and canvasing at most PUs visited but at 28/06/08/006 Freeman School Road Oke-Aro Road Block, some persons were heard to have been arguing over their payment as they had fulfilled their part by casted thirer vote as agreed.

Compliance with COVID-19 Protocol:
At most PUs visited, voters initially adhered to the COVID19 protocols and on the 2-tier queuing system as well as the social distance pattern on queues. However, voters negated the protocols after the earlier rains in Akure as voters fear they might not have the opportunity to vote due to the high turnout of voters after the rain. Although INEC officials had their sanitizers and consistently announced the need for social distance to voters on the queue but it was seemingly neglected as voters never obeyed.

Challenges:
Negating of COVID19 protocols
Insufficient form EC 30E PWD at most PUs
Insufficient magnifying glasses at most Pus
Most PUs in Akure South and across the State still have gutters and high corridors which made it very difficult for PWDs to access the PUs.

Conclusion:
INEC deserve commendation for the improvements recorded thus far in areas such as, the provision of braille for voters with visual impairment, training of polling officials in managing the electoral process especially engaging PWDs as part of the ad-hoc staff. PU28/06/04/011 Oke-Ijebo had PWDs as part of their ad-hoc staff this is a good initiative of inclusion in the area of employment.
However, the commission should make efforts to address the challenges identified above and especially, make efforts to engage relevant government agencies in providing concrete slabs to ensure accessibility for PUs located in front of residential buildings due to the existing gutter challenges or better still change PUs to more accessible ones.

SOME PICTURES OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE OBSERVERS AND PWDS VOTING AT THE ELECTION

TQM Report

Count Disability Coalition have received with great excitement and expectation, the news of the approval for the release of funds to the National Population Commission (NPC) and the inclusion of additional funds in the 2021 budget in preparation for the next National census and therefore wish to commend President Muhammadu Buhari on this important step taken in the right direction.

In a press release titled PRESIDENT BUHARI’S APPROVAL FOR THE RELEASE OF FUNDS FOR NATIONAL CENSUS: EXPECTED BENEFITS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN NIGERIA signed by the
Coalition Lead, Dr. Irene Patrick-Ogbogu, the group stated that the move is coming at a time when over 31 million Nigerians with disabilities have been clamoring for Government and indeed all stakeholders to ensure that they collect appropriate information, including statistical and research data, to enable them to formulate and implement policies towards guaranteeing disability-inclusive development in Nigeria.

The group recognized the Government’s political will and readiness towards having useful and reliable data for her citizens, but they reminded that it is imperative to note that without clear data that is disaggregated by disability and informs policy decisions, persons with disabilities will not benefit equally from Nigeria’s mainstream development programmes. This is corroborated by findings from the UN Expert Group on Disability Data and Statistics, Monitoring and Evaluation that states ‘data disaggregated by disability in all areas will be essential to ensure progress is measured and persons with disabilities are not left behind in development programmes.

Therefore, in order for Government to succeed in ‘leaving no one behind’ there is an urgent need to develop and utilize inclusive data collection methodologies and tools with a view to achieving improved service delivery to persons with disabilities.

The group called on the Nigerian Government and her relevant data management Ministries, Departments and Agencies, especially the National Population Commission, to ensure that the forthcoming census is disability inclusive and representative of all disability types in order to ensure the fulfilment of Nigeria’s commitment on Disaggregated Data at the 2018 Global Disability Summit where Nigeria joined 9 other nations to make commitment on using the Washington Group of Questions and methodologies on disability.

They pledged their total support to the National Population Commission towards ensuring an inclusive and comprehensive census in Nigeria in order to have globally acceptable data that is disaggregated by disability.

Count Disability Coalition is a coalition of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities working to ensure that all state and non-state actors institutionalize the practice of collecting data that is disaggregated by disability and use same for planning and decision-making, the Coalition is supported by Disability Rights Fund (DRF).

By Matthew Ogune (Abuja) 

The Executive Director of Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), David Anyaele, has called for inclusion of persons with disabilities in Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State.

They made the demand in Abuja at a ‘public presentation on the 2020 Ondo State with the theme: ‘An Assessment of INEC’s Preparation for Persons with Disabilities.’

Anyaele also urged INEC to encourage hearing impaired (deaf) voters to come with personal sign language interpreters to the polling unit to minimise communication gap. He asked INEC to ensure strict compliance with health protocols, including the re-design of the polling unit layout and take adequate measures to ensure that polling stations are accessible for physically-impaired voters.

He explained: “INEC should make prioritisation of PWDs’ access to voting mandatory, not advisory. Section 56(2) of the INEC Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2010 states that ‘The commission may take reasonable steps to ensure that voters with disabilities are assisted at the polling stations by the provision of suitable means of communication such as Braille, large embossed print or electronic devices or sign language interpretation, or off-site voting in appropriate cases.Advertisement

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“’Make election materials available and accessible as well as the facilities for all PWDs. This includes Form EC40H, polling units, and assistive resources such as sign language interpreters, signage posters, tactile ballot jackets, magnifying lenses, and disability friendly polling stations.’

Anyaele further urged the electoral umpire to; “Train INEC ad-hoc officials adequately to understand and respond to PWDs’ needs. Sensitise the public on the needs and challenges of PWDs to reverse negative public perceptions and attitudes towards them. Collaborate with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), security agencies, and other stakeholders to fully implement health and safety protocols during voting and result collation.

“INEC should collaborate with the security agencies to brace up for security challenges, ensure they carry out proper investigation before stopping anyone wearing facemask with political logos or moving with a bike or taxi on election day to avoid brutality of PWDs as well as to ensure inclusive, credible, free, fair and peaceful election. INEC should consider introducing a secured mobile voting system and make transfer of voting locations possible.”