— As DRF Grantees Convening 2025 Unites African OPDs for Peer and Collective Learning in Abuja
By Agbo Christian Obiora
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, has called on donors, development partners, and grant-making organizations to extend direct financial and technical support to emerging grassroots disability organizations, particularly those operating in rural communities across Africa.
Hon. Abba Isa made the passionate appeal on Monday in Abuja during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Disability Rights Fund (DRF) African Grantees Convening, organized by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), with funding support from the Disability Rights Fund (DRF).
The high-level event, held under the theme “Peer and Collective Learning for Africa,” brought together more than 20 prominent Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) from across the continent. Delegates and disability advocates from Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Togo, Uganda, Canada, and host country Nigeria converged in Abuja for four days of learning, experience sharing, and strategy development toward advancing inclusion.
“Grassroots OPDs Are the Heartbeat of the Disability Movement” — Hon. Abba Isa
In his address, Hon. Abba Isa described community-based disability organizations as the heartbeat of the disability movement, stressing that they are closest to the people and best understand the daily realities and struggles of persons with disabilities in underserved communities.
“These grassroots OPDs and NGOs are the pulse of real change. They live the experience of those they serve, understand local barriers, and have the drive to inspire transformation when empowered,” he said.
The presidential aide commended the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) for its unwavering commitment to supporting disability inclusion through grants and technical assistance, which he described as “a lifeline to the global struggle for equality, dignity, and inclusion.”
According to him, the Fund’s consistent support over the years has empowered countless organizations in Nigeria and across Africa to champion the rights of persons with disabilities and drive the implementation of progressive disability policies.
“DRF’s investment has amplified advocacy voices, inspired inclusive policy reforms, and accelerated the realization of the rights guaranteed under our National Disability Act (2018) and the *United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD),” Hon. Abba Isa noted.
“Unity Amplifies Our Voice” — DRF’s West Africa Manager
Also speaking at the event, Barr. Theophilus Odaudu, DRF’s West Africa Programme Manager, underscored the importance of collaboration and collective action among OPDs in Africa.
He observed that when OPDs work together, their advocacy becomes more coherent, efficient, and impactful, adding that the convening has grown from a local Nigerian event into a continental platform for peer and collective learning.
“This expansion is not just about numbers,” Odaudu explained. “It represents a qualitative shift in how we approach disability rights advocacy — recognizing that unity amplifies our voice and strengthens our collective impact.”
He further highlighted the convening’s objectives, which include enhancing coordination among OPDs, developing a unified regional advocacy agenda, and exploring opportunities for DRF to expand its programmatic support across Africa.
Odaudu also urged governments at all levels to demonstrate stronger commitment to implementing disability-related laws and policies.
“Our Disability Act is a milestone achievement, but it remains largely unimplemented. We must intensify efforts to ensure ministries, departments, and agencies understand and fulfill their responsibilities under the law,” he said.
Funding Gaps Remain a Barrier — JONAPWD
Speaking on behalf of JONAPWD’s National President, Mr. Stanley Onyebuchi, who doubles as the National President of the Nigerian Association of the Blind (NAB), applauded DRF for its consistent and strategic support to OPDs in Nigeria and beyond.
“We are deeply grateful that DRF continues to empower OPDs to raise awareness about disability rights, even in the most remote communities,” Onyebuchi said.
He, however, lamented that inadequate funding continues to limit the capacity of many OPDs to effectively drive inclusion at the grassroots level.
“This gathering of OPDs from across Africa offers a unique opportunity for collaboration, idea exchange, and joint advocacy. But without adequate resources, our messages and efforts may not reach those who need them most,” he added.
A Continental Platform for Inclusion
The 2025 DRF Grantees Convening is more than just a meeting—it is a continental convergence of changemakers. The platform aims to strengthen networks, foster regional solidarity, and inspire innovative strategies for promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in line with global and national frameworks.
Organizations represented at the convening include Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), TAF Africa, Hope Inspired Foundation for Women and Youth with Disabilities, Women’s Health and Equal Rights Initiative (WHER), Deaf Women Aloud Initiative, Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative (HAPI), and the Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria (ALDIN), among others.
Throughout the four-day event, participants are expected to engage in interactive sessions, learning exchanges, and strategic dialogues centered on strengthening accountability, advancing gender equality, and leveraging collective power to influence policy and development processes.
DRF’s Lifeline to Inclusion
Since its inception, the Disability Rights Fund has been a critical partner in advancing disability-inclusive development across the Global South. By funding OPDs to engage in advocacy, policy reform, and awareness creation, DRF has helped to transform the disability rights landscape — ensuring that persons with disabilities are not merely beneficiaries but active agents of change.
As the convening continues in Abuja, one message stands clear: the future of disability inclusion in Africa lies in empowering grassroots voices. When local organizations are strengthened, supported, and adequately funded, the disability movement grows stronger — and the vision of a truly inclusive Africa becomes achievable.
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