Persons with Disabilities have called on the Federal Government and stakeholders to prioritise disability inclusion as a strategy to meet the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 targets.
They made the call on Wednesday at a one-day consultation on the mid-term review of disability inclusion in the implementation of SDGs organised by Sightsavers Nigeria in Abuja.
The National President of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities, Dr Abdullahi Usman, said there is a need to bridge disability gaps and promote good governance.
“It is important to note that building an inclusive society goes beyond preparing PWDs for the workspace or providing them with skills and getting members of the public ready to receive them as an integral part of the society.
We are appealing to all relevant stakeholders both in the public and private sector to accelerate action on the SDGs and ensure inclusion for PWDs. We all have equal rights to education, employment opportunities, and health care, and the rights to have a say in the decisions that affect our lives,” he said.According to him, Nigeria has an estimate of over 30 million PWDs, who are being marginalised on the grounds of gender, poverty, age, or other factors, and their rights are often denied because of stigmatisation and discrimination.
