The Lagos State Government has begun a three-day training on sign language communication for over 200 civil servants drawn from various Governments, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to sharpen their skills to communicate effectively with people with hearing impairment.

Flagging off the training on Monday in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Segun Dawodu said the importance of sign communication as an effective method of communication between people living with hearing impairment on one hand and members of the public on the other hand could not be over-emphasized.

Dawodu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Youth and Social Development, Yewande Falugba, said LASODA, as an agency that promotes better welfare services; rights, privileges and social inclusion of People Living With Disabilities in Lagos State, aimed to advance the special people’s law of the current administration.

“It is in line of our responsibilities to facilitate workshop as this for greater public awareness and their participation in sign communication skills for better understanding when communicating with those concerned i.e. deaf/hearing impairment to be precise.

“Presently and for the past few years, our focus has been on training the Civil/Public Servants and to integrate them on the usefulness of sign language in bridging communication gaps.To further attest to this, sign language placards are hung at some MDAs to show the importance Government attach to sign Language communication,” Dawodu,  said.

He charged the participants to pay more attention in order to acquire the needed sign communication skills that would be of immense values and benefits to them.

“For the beneficiaries of this workshop, it is my believe that you will make good use of it as the objective of training you is to ensure that in every MDAs of the state government, the private sector and federal agencies in the State; there must be at least, one or two persons who should be able to communicate with persons with hearing impairment who may be there to make inquiries, solicit information or for other legal purposes and would need someone to interact with,” he added.

Acting General Manager, LASODA, Mr. Adegboyega Alejo, said the training was aimed at breaking the barrier in communication experienced by people with hearing impairment when transacting business with government offices and others.

He added that the training would expose participants to sign language communication and adopt pragmatic approach in their relationship with people with hearing impairment.(PM NEWS)

A group of applicants with disabilities under auspice of Association of Physically challenge applicants/ workers on Monday 4^th, November, 2019 blocked the headquarters of National Universities Commission to demand the implementation of 5% percent employment slot for persons with disabilities.

We learnt that the group have initially written a letter to the Executive Secretary of the Commission seeking audience to make a case for the implementation of 5% employment quota for the persons with disabilities whenever vacancy exist but request fell into deaf ears that necessitated their protest.

After blocking the gate for more than 30mins with even the DPO of intervening, the Director, Public Affair Department Mr. Yakassi came and informed the group that they should come back on Wednesday by 11am to meet with the Executive Secretary.

This group has taken it upon themselves to take advocacy to all government agencies, meet with the head of the agencies to get their commitments towards implementation 5% employment quota as it stipulated in Part 4, article 29 of Discrimination against persons with disabilities (Prohibition) Act.

On Sunday 3rd Novemeber, 2019, Disability Not A Barrier Initiative (DINABI) kicked off their 8-Church Sensitization programme tagged “FROM THE CHURCH” at the St. Jude Anglican Church, Textile Area, Basiri, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The campaign which was aimed at increasing the awareness of parents and guardians of children with disabilities on the need not to hide their children indoor any longer but allow them to get required education and live a purposeful life and also to tutor parents and guardian of children with disabilities on the best way of taking care of them. The campaign was supported by Brilliant Minds Academy, Ado-Ekiti.

The 470-capacity church auditorium which was almost filled to the brim rose with applause as the Executive Director of the organisation, Olajide Funso, was called forward to sensitize the congregation.

Engr. Olajide while speaking told the congregation that he would not be surprised if there were still parents even in the congregation that have children with disabilities at home that are not known to the pastor due to fear of discrimination, shame, stigmatization and archaic belief.

He urged such parents/guardians to emulate him and other members of the team who are all graduates and doing well in life.

He also encouraged the parents/guardians to always watch what and how they address their children with disabilities. He admonished them to instil courage in them, set targets for them, make research on their type of disability, consult groups/association of persons with disabilities and also tell and show them stories of people with disabilities who have made it in life.

Olajide further urged the pastorate and members of the congregation to speak up for persons with disabilities most especially on their rights as a member of the society and the need to implement the Disability Acts.

In his response, the senior pastor of the church, Ven. Deji Alabi appreciated the team from DINABI for counting their church worthy of such laudable programme stating that he was proud to associate with the organisation.

He promised to carry the message to the nooks and crannies of the world and to speak up for “the people with special abilities”. He urged the congregation not to hide kids with disabilities at home any longer; rather, they should look at the team from DINABI as an example worthy of emulation.

In her sermon titled “The Purpose of God for Man”, Pastor (Mrs) Oyindamola urged the congregation to move closer to God irrespective of their disabilities so as to fulfil God’s purpose for their lives.
At the end of the event, the church through Ven. Alabi promised to empower some persons with disabilities among those whom DINABI had trained in skill acquisition in the past but with no financial capacity to start their own business. DINABI Team also donated snacks to the children in the church.

by Chris Agbo

Over the years, persons with disabilities have had to cope with a great deal of inconveniences and discomfort as passengers with disabilities from boarding to disembarking. The isle to the seats in the plane is not designed to accommodate wheelchairs/reduced mobility. As a result, the movement of the persons with disabilities while on board is forcefully restricted. PWDs are allowed to board first but they are forced to alight after all other passengers regardless of how urgent the need may be and also there is wrong notion by airline operatives that electric wheelchairs batteries are explosive and as such, they don’t allow passengers with disabilities who uses electric wheelchairs to board. Most times, in handling these wheelchairs, airline attendants have mistakenly or carelessly damaged the wheelchairs. These are the words of Grace Jerry in a press conference organized by her NGO, Inclusive Friends, Lois Auta’s Cedar Seeds Foundation and Patience Ogolo-Dickson’s AWWDI as she tells her ugly experience in the hands of airline operators.

She narrated her recent ordeal with Air Peace where she flew in from Lagos to Abuja disembarked and the flight flew back immediately to Lagos with her wheelchair. When she asked for her wheelchair, she was told to wait till 10pm before she can get back her wheelchair and they left her and went about their business. She was there for hours before she started creating screen before they gave her old and rusty wheelchair to go home and promised to get across her wheelchair as soon as the flight returns. It was the following day by 10am that a taxi brought her wheelchair and he was angry with her because he couldn’t locate her address easily, he simply told her that the airline sent him to deliver her wheelchair and collect theirs in her possession. She asked if there is any message from them and the taxi said that he was asked to bring back the wheelchair. No apology from the airline for the inconvenience caused by their carelessness.

The passengers with disabilities pay the same air ticket fee like others, why are they treating PWDs different. There are video evidences of where PWDs are being carried like log of woods into the aircraft. Imagine a woman with disability being carried mostly by men, they will carry her upper body and her legs, their hands will be on her breast pressing them and if she is not on trousers, her private part will be exposed for all to see and at times, the way they will carry the person, the person will sustain some bodily injuries. By the time, the person is taken into the flight, other passengers will be saying things like sorry, it is well, imagine the phycological trauma the person will be going through. Meanwhile these airline operators still collect money from these passengers with disabilities before they will accept to carry them. What stops the airlines to be reasonable to make provision on PWDs can board without any assistance.

Lois Auta shared her experiences when she was travelling in 2017 as Mandela Fellowship Award nominee, she narrated how she was left in Ethiopia airport by Ethiopian Air pilot because she was not travelling with an aid as she was to board a connecting flight from Ethiopia to Argentina before connecting USA. It brought addition expenses for her, because she had to lounge and wait till the next day to continue her journey, what if she doesn’t have enough money to lounge, the act made her to miss the first day of her meeting.

It is important to note that it is a right for PWDs to have access to public infrastructures(article 9 of CRPD), the 2019 theme for International Day for Persons with disabilities is the future is accessible which implies that accessibility is the greatest challenge faced by persons with disabilities and if it is resolved, it will definitely dignify PWDs.  

Donald Unaka(a person with physical disability) narrated how airline refused him boarding because they don’t have people who can carry him as he was traveling to Accra for British council organized exhibition, he pleaded with them to allow him crawl to the aircraft to meet up with the opening ceremony but they still refused. He had to wait till to next day to board another flight but the airline that refused to carry him didn’t even refund him till date. On his way back, he encountered another problem when he boarded Air peace and paid 20 dollars for those that will carry him into the aircraft but on getting to the boarding place, the operators asked him for money to carry him in, he told them that he has paid for this service but it seems it didn’t go down well with them, they were delaying until he had to crawl into the aircraft and his 20 dollars was not refunded to him.

Patience Ogolo-Dickson (a person with physical disability) narrated how some airline operators will ask her if she has a terminal disease just because she is on wheelchair. She informed that it is the rights of PWDs to travel to any part of the world and a lot of PWDs are now into developmental work so they should be travelling and they should be subjected into a form of discrimination.

Barrister Florence Marcos (an amputee) said that in 2014, Ethiopian Airline subjected her into series of medical test because she is an amputee as if she has a terminal disease. She had to spend over 20 thousand naira not the cost of her air ticket and other expenses and on her way back because she only traveled to acquire her prosthetic, they demanded another series of medical test. She had to argue it out with them and what aided her argument was that the prosthetic manufacturer has issued a clearance that she can travel.

Mr. Godwin Ike, Aviation Researcher and Publisher, gave an insight that the airlines are misbehaving because they are only mandated to pay compensations to cases of death, injuries and loss of baggage not people’s ill maltreatment and feelings. The Aviation law is controlled international by ICAO in Canada, they make laws for aviation industry and countries are signatory to them and it supersedes the member countries laws on aviation. He reminded that disability issues should be everybody’s business because there is a thin line between being able and being disabled. he regrets that if ICAO convention was not properly scrutinized by Nigeria to ensure that it contains sections that will protect PWDs from harmful practices before signing, ICAO would have listened and these problems would have not been there. He used the opportunity to call on the Minister of Aviation to take this message from PWDs to ICAO to include a section that address the ill treatment of PWDs by airlines. He advised the PWDs to collaborate with other PWDs across Africa who are facing the same challenges to reach ICAO and he believes ICAO will listen.

The group made some recommendations to the airlines to help put an end to the ill treatment PWDs are facing in the airports. The group calls on all local and international airlines in Nigeria to provide the following:

1. All local and international airlines must provide LIFT TRUSKs to board PWDs into the aircraft, and provide same when disembarking.
2. All local airlines must provide Isle Chairs to convey PWDs especially those on wheelchairs to the seats on board.
3. All airlines that have discriminated or subjected PWDs to ill treatments must offer an apology to Nigerians with disabilities in both mainstream and social media platforms.
4. Provide airlift free with no added fees.
5. All passenger assistance services in Nigeria should Never be paid for by person needing assistance to board (PWDs, Medical reasons and the Elderly). It should be declared in ALL AIRPORTS and ALL AIRLINES in NIGERIA.
6. Airport Authorities should scan personal wheelchairs but allow clients to use their chairs until they board as those are extensions of body function.
7. All airlines operating in NIGERIA must produce a technical directive for managing PWDs and passengers needing assistance as part of their official procedures. In addition, this directive cannot be made all PWDs cluster inputs.
8. All airports and airline official MUST be trained to handle Assistive travel including using the right terms, carrying procedures etc. Technical assistance can be provided for this by organization of persons with disabilities (OPDs).
9. There should be overhaul of rusty and rickety airport wheelchairs, throw some of them away, they are old and bad, some don’t have breaks either.
10. Airlines need to strengthen and synergize their communication system by way of connecting staff, captain & crew members. There seem to be a disconnect from the bookings, to the desk and the cabin crew members attending to PWDs.

The group threatened to litigate against any airline who go ahead to maltreat, discriminate or marginalize any PWD in Nigeria.

by Chris Agbo

On Thursday 31^st October, 2019, Disability Rights Advocacy Centre DRAC organized a One-day sensitization of staff of Special/ Inclusive Schools in the FCT on Safeguarding of Children with disabilities and Vulnerable Adults. It is part of RNA project of DRAC supported by CBM. The objectives of the event were to improve the knowledge of participants on safeguarding of children with disabilities and Vulnerable adults and to establish safeguarding response mechanisms in special/ inclusive schools in the FCT.

The participants were drawn from parents of the children with disabilities and teachers from Inclusive Schools, special schools or other schools in the FCT.

The Executive Director of DRAC, Dr. Irene Ojiugo Patrick-Ogbogu in her opening remark warmly welcomed the teachers and parents of children with disabilities. She said that DRAC went into Inclusive Education because of the vulnerability of children with disabilities, she urged the participants to be the protectors of these children in schools. She informed that safeguarding of children with disabilities in school is now a global issue and a lot of awareness will be created around it to ensure that teachers understands what is expected of them in safeguarding of children with disabilities. She also reminded the house about the importance of the child protection policy for special schools that was developed in August, which awaits approval of the FCT UBEB. On giving an overview of the sensitization meeting, she said that due to disability, a lot of persons with disabilities start schooling late, based on when their parents found out that they can go to school, and they enroll these young adults who are in their teenage years, into pri schools. They are classified as vulnerable adults. She urged the participants to show love to these children and ensure adequate safeguarding of these children with disabilities in School.

She also informed them that there will be an elaborate training programme for staff of these schools to acquire more knowledge in safeguarding to help protect all our children with disabilities against abuse/neglect and subsequently eliminate their low self-esteem. 

The Child Protection Officer, DRAC, Noel Balogun took the participants through the concept of Vulnerable Adults (here, he explains what a vulnerable adult means which is any person aged 18 years and older who may be at risk of exploitation because of disability, if decision making of an adult is impaired, he cannot make decision on his own. He or She is viewed to be a vulnerable adult.  It is also one being at risk when in relationship (Social or Work) with another who seeks to misuse their position of authority or trust to control).

The participants were grouped into three to perform an exercise on the factors that increases vulnerability of children with disabilities at home and in the school, deaf children, blind children and children with intellectual disabilities were put in perceptive in the group exercise. Each group presented their work and the vulnerability factor of children were discussed and the participants were made to understand what they need to do to reduce vulnerability of these children with disabilities.

During questions, answers and comments, a parent Engr. Femi Soetan appreciated the Executive Director for the last peer education training for children with disabilities in special/inclusive schools, he went on to enumerate how his daughter who has albinism, attended the training and has changed drastically, her confidence has improved, she educates people on Disability Rights and  SGBV, she has become very vocal and assertive and people who didn’t want to associate with her before are now her friends. Speaking further, he asked why the duty bearers/government were not invited. Dr. Irene in her response said that DRAC has been engaging stakeholders on different forums on the subject but what DRAC set to achieve with this sensitization programme with parents and teachers is to get everybody to be on the same page so that collectively government can be held accountable. Speaking further, she explained that the project is serious to DRAC because she is also involved, she went through all these as a child therefore, it is just a starting point, a lot will be happening around this project by next year to ensure that we achieve inclusive education.

The participants were also taken through Safeguarding: What, Who, Where and Why? Noel Balogun explained safeguarding as a set of policies, procedures and practices designed to ensure that no harm comes to children as a result of contact with school’s program, operation and people. Who to safeguard are those with high risk of vulnerability to experience neglect and exploitation. Where safeguarding can happen is only in school and Why safeguarding is important because of moral obligation, Legal obligation and Community expectation. Interestingly, safeguarding and protection is different, protection happens at home while safeguarding only happens in the school. Schools are mandated to safeguard but only specialist organizations are to get into protection programs eg. Government, Police etc.

Another DRAC staff Amaka, took the participants through proper understanding of the students when they are reporting an issue. The topic was to broaden the participants understanding on the proper channel of communication between the teacher and the student when it comes to reporting of cases. She showcased a reporting flow Chart to illustrate how teachers can break the barriers to reporting.

Dr. Irene in her closing remark pleaded with the participants to put in practice all they learned from the meeting and asked for the cooperation of the schools where DRAC are yet to form peer club to create an enabling environment when DRAC team visits. She also informed them about an upcoming tech / coding training for Girls with Disabilities holding in DRAC office in 2 weeks time, and requested that they select the best girls for this.

The event was in line with DRAC’s The Respect Not Abuse(RNA) project aimed at reducing violence against women and girls with disabilities in FCT and Mararaba which was conceptualized based on findings from a baseline survey conducted by DRAC in 2017 that showed that women and girls with disabilities suffer extreme forms of violence that often go unreported and unaddressed, with girls in special schools being 3 times more vulnerable. In order to improve protection of Children with disabilities in special/Inclusive schools, DRAC started securing approval and a buy-in from the education stakeholders (UBEB, SEB, School Authorities of Special/Inclusive schools and the PTA) through series of advocacy visits and sensitization meetings.

DRAC has developed a Child protection policy in collaboration with FCT UBEB, trained the students as peer educators, established peer clubs in the schools, and sensitized the staff of the schools on safeguarding and reporting mechanisms.         

The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, on Monday said that persons with disabilities(PWDs) will get preference in employments in the organisation.

Danbatta made the promise in Abuja when members of the Association of Physically-Challenged Applicants and Workers (APAW), visited him at the Commission’s Headquarters.

He said that the decision to give priority to the PWDs was in line with the provision of telecom services’ non-discrimination in its recruitment.

Represented by Mrs. Maryam Bayi, the commission’s Director of Human Capital and Administration, Danbatta, assured the association of NCC’S readiness to always support them within the ambit of the laws.

He stressed that the Commission is mandated by the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) of 2003, as well the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations 2007, to accommodate the physically challenged.

“Over the years, we have stuck to these legal provisions. In NCC employ for instance, there are people with special needs.

“We do not discriminate as a Commission on the basis of disability. PWDs are also represented on the Industry Consumer Advisory Forum (ICAF), which the Commission established in line with the law.

“We provide support to this category of people, who are also our brothers and sisters, as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility,” he said.

Danbatta enjoined telecommunication companies to always encourage the PWDs by making it easier for them to access telecommunication services, as well promptly addressing their complaints.

The association’s President, Mr Godstime Onyegbulam, said that members of the organisation needed inclusion in all cadres of recruitment in public and private organisations.

Onyegbulam commended the NCC for having the interest of the PWDs at heart in its operations.

APAW is an organisation composed of physically challenged men and women from across the 36 states of Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory. (NAN)

BY CHRIS AGBO

On Thursday 31^st October, 2019, Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI) organized a project inception meeting with Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (DWAN) and key stakeholders in Healthcare services in Abuja. A project supported by VOICE was designed to improve deaf women access to sexual and reproductive health rights.

The Executive Director of DWAI, Hellen Beyioku Alase in her welcome address said that the goal of the project is to provide documentary outline structure for sexual reproductive health related sign language glossary for adaption. The project is designed to minimize the communication gaps between the deaf community with emphasis on deaf women and the health providers within the health facilities and equip the health providers to meet the health needs of the Deaf women and girls.

Speaking further, she stated that the major problem is non-availability of the disability-friendly health and specific sign language information, inadequate awareness creation on the issues of Sexual Reproductive Health Rights(SRHR) of Deaf women and girls in Nigeria by Stakeholders and health practitioners, insufficient number of sign language interpreters and limited leadership skill on the part of deaf women and deaf community at large to carry out adequate advocacy to negotiate for the full inclusion of deaf women in the sexual and reproductive health rights programmes.

She commended VOICE for their magnanimity in funding the project which is poised to achieve increased access to sexual and reproductive health rights by the deaf women and girls within 12 months. The project will among other things focus on promoting sign language Glossary to serve as an alternative to sign language in health facilities to ensure that the deaf are not left behind. The project will also provide opportunity for the deaf women to make decision on their health care.

She believes that by the end of the project, sign language glossary must have been developed and deaf women must have been well equipped to make informed decision about their health and the communication gap that exist between the health care providers and the deaf women will be minimized.  

Mrs. Azeez Bukola (Health and Human Services Secretariat FCTA Area11, Garki, Abuja representing Honourable Secretary, Health FCTA, she pledges the commitment of Health secretariat to adopt the sign language glossary when it is full developed and it is sent for adoption.

Sam Oji representing Dr. Faisal Shuaib of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, he said that NPHCDA is dedicated to the improvement of healthcare services in Nigeria and any idea that is geared towards enhancing access to the healthcare services is acceptable by the agency.

Mercy Egemba from National Agency for the Control of AIDS(NACA) representing Dr. Yinka Falola Anolemuah, the head of Gender and Human Rights, Care and Support Division NACA, she said that NACA have mainstreamed  Persons with disabilities in HIV/AIDS programmes and attempts to promote access to health services including HIV/AIDS treatment services is one that NACA will gladly support.

Hauwa Shekarau, Country Director, IPAS who have worked with deaf women in promoting of their rights when it comes to sexual and reproductive health, reaffirmed her resolve to continue to work with PWDs especially women with disabilities to improve their healthcare services and rights.

Ijeoma Okwor, Voice coordinator Abuja praised the commitment and dedication of DWAI and the Executive Director Mrs. Helen towards ensuring that issues of the deaf especially the deaf women is brought to the front burner and that was what informed the decision of VOICE to sponsor this project which is specifically to ease the access to healthcare services by deaf women and girls through sign language glossary. It is uniquely important to the deaf women that’s way the initiative was supported by VOICE.

There were also comments full of commendations and supports from Lazan Samuel Josiah representing the medical social welfare of National Hospital Abuja, Aderibigbe Sola representing the FCT chairman, JONAPWD, Harrison Otokpa DWAI reporter, Uche Andrew (the National Secretary, DWAN), and Ufele Gracious (Member, DWAN FCT Chapter).

The facilitators took the stakeholders through their roles in the development of SRHR sign language glossary, the documentation/structure of glossary. There was a group work whereby the stakeholders were shared into three group to discuss and present the possible ways sign language glossary can be developed and documented which will be sent to Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies for adoption.

The participants at the meeting were members of DWAN, leaders of Nigeria National Association of the Deaf, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), Health Practitioners, Media Practitioners and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

DWAI is a non-profit organization that is poised to amplify the voice of the deaf women in Africa whose voices have been drowned by the convention and status-quo. It is designed to raise awareness about sensitive issues affecting deaf women and their children. Issues like sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), sexual abuse, gender-based violence, injustices, stigmatization and discrimination. It also exists to mitigate the exploitation of deaf women, eliminate discrimination, promote social inclusion and enhance secular participation of deaf women as well as promote policy formulation and their implementation to enhance the lives of people with disabilities.

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF THE EVENT

It was huge celebration in Lokoja, Kogi State as Comrade Arome, a physically challenged politician, an accountant and the Kogi state chairman of Kogi State Association of Persons with Disabilities wedded his best friend last weekend on Saturday 26th October, 2019 at United Evangelical Church Lokoja.  The wedding witnessed a mammoth crowd with dignitaries such as a representative of the wife of the governor and the wife of the state deputy Governor and many political appointees, representatives of NGOs, CSOs, State INEC Commissioner, permanent secretaries, Head of service etc. The wedding also has thousands of PWDs from all over the 21 LGA of the state in attendance. Arome while speaking to us (The Qualitative Magazine) describe the day as the happiest moment of his life and the wedding was a success because he was honoured by dignitaries and the crowd who witnessed his marriage with his best friend.

Centre for Citizens With Disabilities continued their lobbying for the implementation of the National Disability Act with a courtesy visit to the Chairman and members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Nigeria National Assembly.

The CCD advocacy team led by The Executive Director David Anyaele was warmly received by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters led by Sen. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele at the Committee room 305. It was a kind of reunion with the former Commissioner, Comrade Sen. Bamidele and David Anyaele, The Senator was the commissioner who used to supervise disability issues in Lagos State 2003 – 2007 as a Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, under Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the then Governor of Lagos.

Addressing the Committee members, Mr, David Anyaele urged the lawmakers to demand the full compliance with the provisions of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, specifically section 31 of the Act, which provides for the establishment of National Commission for persons with disabilities.

HE also appealed to the Senator to move a motion on the floor of the Senate demanding for the full implementation of the Act amongst line Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.

Comrade Sen. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele in his words said “It was really nice to see you again. By the Grace of God, I will work on the motion as soon as possible”. Other members of the Committee that spoke in support of the visit include Sen. Emmanuel Orker-Jev, who was the Vice Chairman of the 8 session of the National Assembly, Joint Conference Committee on the National Disability Bill and Mr. Charles Bala, Clerk of the Committee.

Copies of the National Disability Act, CCD research reports were presented to the members of the Committee

by Chris Agbo

Disability Rights Advocacy Centre (DRAC) in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) on 28^th and 29^th of October, 2019 organized a two-day stakeholders’ review and validation meeting for the 5 years strategic plan for the implementation of National Policy on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Persons with Disabilities with emphasis on Women and Girls with disabilities (WGWDs). The project is supported by CBM, USAID and others. The goal of the meeting is to strengthen quality of the draft costed strategic Plan by Stakeholders and it is set out to achieve the following objectives: to review the various sections of the plan and provide feedback, to validate the plan(narrative and activities) in principle, to generate baseline and set targets required for developing the results framework for the Plan, to validate the cost of the plan and to generate additional information/ideas required for finalizing the document.

The Executive Director DRAC, Dr. Irene Ojiugo Patrick-Ogbogu in her opening remark expressed her gratitude to CBM and FMOH in their roles in the formulation of the policy which DRAC facilitated all the processes financially and technically with the active participation of the disability community, she assured that DRAC will continue to work with all the relevant stakeholders to see to the implementation of the policy.

There were goodwill messages from Dr. Okafor Christopher from Enugu state, Mr. Obinna Ekujereonye representing National Association of the Blind, Mrs. Theresa from IPAS, Mrs. Nike Akinola from Network of women with disabilities, Mr. Lawrence Idemudia Edeifo from Nigeria National Association of the Deaf and Theophilus Odaudu from Disability Rights Fund.

The facilitators spoke about goals, objectives and expected output of the meeting and what to be reviewed and the guide on how they would be done by the stakeholders. The expected output of the meeting was reviewed strategic plan, activity framework and cost, Package of baseline and targets against main and cross-cutting strategies and collated additional feedback.

The Director, Family Health of FMOH, Dr. Christopher Ugboko in his opening remark acknowledge the presence of the participants from different states. He appreciated DRAC, CBM and others for their support in the formulation of the policy and he highlighted the process of the developing the policy document which was put together in 2015 by DRAC and FMOH. He regretted that even though that the sexual and reproductive Health Rights has been improved and the maternal mortality has been reduced, Women and Girls with Disabilities are still be neglected in all these, they are denied of their rights and they are being assaulted. Therefore, there is an urgent need to address the issue and put modality on ground to ensure the protection of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities. He went on and gave the overview of the policy from The head of GASHE.

The meeting was characterized with group work and presentations whereby a group of 7 worked on different strategies of the policy, reviewed and make corrections where necessary. The groups worked on the activity framework, the indicators, and the costing of the activities within the implementation of the policy.

The group work at every step of the presentation was discussed and questions asked, corrections were made.

At the end of the meeting, the following as the next step of the implementation plan of the policy; Harmonization of the group(work)inputs(5^th November, 2019) to be carried out by the consultant, Formation of smaller group to review the harmonized framework document(2^nd week of November, 2019) to be carried out by FMOH/DRAC, Final validation meeting(2^nd week of December, 2019) to be carried out by FMOH/DRAC, Final editing of the strategic framework document(January 2020) to be carried by FMOH/DRAC, Print and Dissemination(January, 2020) to be carried out by FMOH/ DRAC.

The participants of the meeting were drawn from Federal Ministry of Health across the states, state ministry of health, Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), Civil Society Organizations (CSO), Media Practitioner and Medical practitioners.

OTHER PICTURES FROM THE MEETING: