The Persons with Disabilities( PWDs) in Nasarawa State have called for the full implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities ( Prohibition) Act, 2018 which has been domesticated in the state to enable them enjoy their rights.
State Coordinator, Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative (AWWDI) , Mrs Asaba Averson made the call at a one day media engagement on Tuesday in Lafia.
Averson who expressed worry that the law has not been fully implemented in the State since it’s domestication said PWDs face a lot of challenges such as difficulties in accessing healthcare services, social stigma and discrimination, lack of representation, educational barriers, sexual abuse among others.
She noted that women with disabilities have the right to their reproductive healthcare services and should not be denied the right to access reproductive health commodities available at health care centres across the state.
” The hospital facilities are not disability friendly because the structures are not accessible by Persons with Disabilities. We want to be included in all sectors of the economy.
” We have rights to reproductive health, education and all other things that persons without disabilities are doing in the society.
The government should involve us in its decision making process in order to ensure an inclusive government,” she said.
Averson however, commended the state government for domesticating the Act and creating a Disability Right Commission in the state and called for a more inclusive government.
She, therefore called on the media to amplify their voices and ensure that they are represented in government to ensure that their challenges are addressed for the good of the state.
On his part, the Programme Manager of AWWDI, Mr Kola Jayeoba said PWDs must be respected and recognised as well as granted their rights.
Jayeoba said his organisation supported by HIVOS and We Lead was implementing a project that amplifies the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and the girl-child in the state.
He called on stakeholders to work together to ensure that the reproductive rights of women and girls are granted.
” Our focus is on issues that concern women and girls with disabilities, their rights and inclusion.
“We also engage the government on policies that need to include persons with disabilities and if they are not included, we call on their attention to it and amazingly, the government has been doing the little they can.
“We want them to do more especially in Nasarawa State that the Disability Act has been domesticated. We want its full implementation,” he added.
The Programmes Manager therefore urged the media to project issues of PWDs in the way that is globally acceptable, advising that the society should see them as persons before looking at their disabilities.
” The society should not see persons with disabilities from the cultural or religious perspectives but people that need to be included in the society.
” The media should project them rightly and not as beggars but as people who should gain access to education, healthcare services and access to every other services in the state,” he concluded.
