TQM Report,
Voice for Disability Initiative (VDI) signed a partnership agreement with NAPTIP in Lafia to enhance justice delivery to women with disabilities who suffered Sexual and Gender Based Violence(SGBV).
The Memorandum of Understanding for the partnership was signed during an Advocacy visit by VDI team led by the CEO, Barr. Catherine Edeh to Managers of NAPTIP Lafia Office.
Barr. Catherine in her speech said that when it comes to trafficking in persons, persons with disabilities have had their own fair share of it.
“Many persons with disabilities especially women with disabilities in the rural areas have been made to come to the major cities only to subject them to prostitution and their proceeds taking away from them by the person that brought them to the city”.
“Some are subjected to street begging and on the process of beginning, they are raped and maim at the process and the perpetrators have always not brought to book for all these heinous crimes”.
“Many of women with disabilities have suffered all sorts of abuses and maltreatment and there is little of nothing they can do to the perpetrators for lack of knowledge of what they can do or where they can get help after they have violated”.
She said that VDI in their quest to assist women and girls with disabilities demand for their rights in the face of violations with support of Disability Rights Fund, seek to collaborate with NAPTIP to restore hope of justice for these women.
She also called on NAPTIP to create a disability desk officer to enhance relationship between the establishment and persons with disabilities (PWDs) on the issue of SGBV.
Saadatu Galadimma, a representative of NAPTIP in her response appreciated the VDI team for their visit and welcome the idea of collaboration saying that NAPTIP is for everyone and they are already to collaborate with any group that will complement their work.
She gave out the procedures of any intending collaborator with NAPTIP and on the issue of Disability desk officer, she said that the state branch doesn’t have such powers to appoint any body.
She informed that they are just 3 major staff in the Lafia Office, they have not gotten a befitting office space. So, she promised to communicate the headquarter on the demand made about Disability desk officer.
The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to work together on the issue of gender based violence to bring the perpetrators to book.
