Women with Disabilities have condemned the abject neglect, abuse and exclusion they have been facing in Nigeria. P
articipants from four (4) Northwest states – Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto – and FCT asserted at a townhall meeting themed “Promoting Inclusion for Women With Disabilities In Community Peacebuilding Mechanisms: Understanding Barriers And Promoting Opportunities” and organised by Global Rights in Abuja.
The Women expressed sadness at the plethora of barriers they have faced and the far-reaching effects on their emotional, psychological and mental wellbeing. They conveyed disappointment as to how these barriers have become norms embedded in different aspects of society, sometimes even at the highest levels.
In a powerful address, Amb. Rabi Yusuf Lawal, Executive Director of the Gender and Disability Inclusion Advocacy Centre in Kano, shed light on the pressing challenges emphasising that communities often feel chaotic and disorganised, leaving Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to grapple with a “triple tragedy.” This tragedy includes not only societal marginalisation but also internal divisions and a lack of support from fellow individuals with disabilities.
Amb. Lawal passionately urged that for PWDs to be recognised and heard, they must unite and a
dvocate with a single, powerful voice. Only then can they hope to gain the attention and respect they deserve from the government and the broader community.
Representing the Executive Director, Abiodun Baiyewu, Global Rights Program Manager, Prince Edosa Ovaiwe In his opening remarks, said the townhall was aimed at finding a lasting solution for the ill-treatment of Women with Disabilities.
“This townhall is the first step towards creating a solution and giving us a roadmap for driving inclusive engagement with Women with Disabilities. At the end of it, Global Rights can now effectively work on a disability inclusion program”, Prince Edosa said.
The Program Manager also said that Global Rights expects that other CSOs present will begin to amplify the need for deliberate inclusion of Women with Disabilities in their programs as well. He also pointed out that slow progress was being made as it concerns persons with disabilities. Part of this progress is seen in the legislative efforts which for instance led to the enactment of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
Also speaking at the event, the Director, The Kukah Centre, Rev. Father Attah Barkindo applauded the initiative to focus on women with disabilities hailing it as very huge. He said it was said that for as long as he could remember, there hasn’t been a deliberate attempt in the North to include PWDs in conversations, especially when they are women.
“I was recently on BBC and part of what I spoke on concerned the soldiers who have paid the ultimate price, especially in the Northeast and the Northwest. Everyone talks about these soldiers but no one talks about their wives. Some of these women are persons with disabilities. No one is talking about what will happen to them. This is the first initiative I have seen that has specifically isolated women with disabilities, especially in Northwest Nigeria”, said Father Attah.
He thanked Global Rights for the initiative and admonished the participants to have a productive conversation.
While facilitating the session with the topic, ‘It Takes a Village: A Whole Of Society Approach To Peacebuilding’, Global Rights Program Officer, Women and Gender, Noya Sedi said that Conflict doesn’t select those it affects, it affects everyone, especially violent conflicts. She said conflict affects everyone, and as such peace should be everyone’s business.
“Because conflict does not select who should be affected, every class of people should be included in the peace-building process”, said Noya. She noted that one person alone can solve the issue of peacebuilding in any community.
The townhall was organised in collaboration with The Kukah Centre and Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative with funding from the UKaid Foreign and Commonwealth Office was themed.