Voice Of Disability Initiative ( VDI) in their continuous engagement of major stakeholders in Enugu State to promote the health right and other rights of Persons with Disabilities embarked on a community outreach to Nike Community.
The team visited His Royal Highness Barr. Dr. Igwe Nnaji and his cabinet to enlightenment them about the VDI project in Enugu State.
The Program Officer of the project, Mr. Edward Ogenyi in his opening speech expressed gratitude to the King for accepting the project in his community as well as granting the team and their partners an appointment to meet with him and his cabinet members including the Women of the community.
Mr. Ogenyi specially acknowledged the presence of the women and described them as king makers because they are the ones who gave birth to the kings and nurtured them.
He informed the Royal entourage that the team has been in Enugu State for Six days led by their own daughter Barr. Catherine Edeh, the Executive Director of Voice Of Disability Initiative (VDI).
He informed them that Barr. Catherine has strategically and successfully brought this project to Enugu State and the project is aimed at supporting women and girls with disabilities to have access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right.
He intimated the King that in their stay in Enugu State, the team have successfully carried out a workshop on Gender Based Violence and a rally to the government house where they met with the governor, His Excellency, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and they presented the following demands:
1. Executive Backing for the domestication of Disability Rights Law by Enugu State House of Assembly.
2. Ensure that all public building and structures in Enugu State are made accessible to Persons with Disabilities so that women and girls with disabilities especially those with physical disabilities can have access to the hospitals and clinics because inaccessibility of these places have been frustrating to them which lead to many of them staying home or patronizing quacks.
3. Engage sign language interpreters in primary and secondary health care facilities to bridge the communication gap between health care providers and deaf women.
4. Provide health insurance cover for Persons with Disabilities
5. Make available sunscreen for Persons with albinism to protect them from skin cancer.
6. Provide free contraceptive commodity like sanitary pads for women and girls with disabilities
7. Free cervical cancer treatment.Mr. Ogenyi informed the Royal Father that the governor accepted all the demands but have little reservation on the health insurance cover because he said that it requires Budgetary allocation which must be supported by law but the governor also promised to work on it.
He then called on the King to be an advocate for Persons with Disabilities to assist Disability Community in Enugu State to keep reminding the governor on his promises so that, these demands would be implementing.
Barr. Catherine Edeh presented the policy brief that the team shared with the governor to the Igwe and urged him to be the lead advocate for Persons With Disabilities in Enugu State.
Barr. Catherine Edeh in her speech recalled how education was instrumental to what she has become today.
She recollected how the Igwe played a huge role in ensuring that Enugu State government sponsored her training as a lawyer.
She recounted how difficult it was for her to find an Inclusive higher institution in the east which led to her traveling to a distant to acquire University education.
She stated that the knowledge of Disability issues in the southeast has been low which was her reason for ensuring that her project take place in the Southeast so that the people of Southeast will also benefit from the knowledge of Disability Inclusion that other zones have benefited so much especially the northern and southwestern zones.
She informed that the project is supported by Amplifying Change to support women especially women with disabilities because they have been highly marginalized, stigmatized and discriminated especially in the area of health and education.
She thanked the Igwe for accepting the project in his community and pleaded to him to use his office to influence the domestication of Disability Rights Law in Enugu State.
His Royal Highness, Barr Igwe Nnaji of Nike Community is the deputy chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chairman, Enugu East Senatorial District of Traditional Rulers.
In his speech, he was excited for the gathering and informed that going by the offices that he is occupying, he is in a better position to influence the governor on the demands.
He informed that the speaker of State Assembly is his close relation so he can influence both the governor and the speaker but he pointed out that the only problem is those that will draft the law to make it workable.
He said that if the drafters do their work well and fast, it won’t take time to have the law passed first, second reading and get passed by the State Assembly.
He assured that they will do anything humanly possible to support Catherine and make her project successful.
Mrs Nneka Ajie from NAPTIP who accompanied VDI team, said that she is humbled with what Catherine Edeh has put together and she described herself as a student of Catherine’s because what VDI is doing will help her in her work.
The NAPTIP team got everyone present to affirm their disapproval to GBV and Discrimination against Persons With Disabilities.
Dr Juliana Nnaji speaking on behalf of the women expressed gratitude to VDI for choosing Nike Community and assured the team of full cooperation of the women.
She also assured them of a seamless implementation because there is already existing coordination for the women of the community which has led to some of them furthering their education and it is still ongoing. prayed for the success of the project.
TQM reports that the team will form a robust communication strategy between the council of traditional rulers, State Assembly and the government house to ensure the domestication of the Disability Rights Law in Enugu State.
SOME PICTURES OF THE EVENT
