Nigeria passed the Discrimination (Prohibition) Act of 2018 after more than a decade of campaigning, but six years on, disability rights groups remain frustrated by progress.
At a discussion hosted by the Center for Rights in Health (CRH) and the Ford Foundation, people with disabilities shared their frustrations with the misconceptions, prejudices and barriers they face every day.
They pointed out that persons with disabilities are currently denied access to education, healthcare and other amenities.
They are often pitied and considered incompetent, their sexuality, desires and intelligence ignored.
“We are considered inferior in the eyes of society and therefore do not deserve to live a full life like others,” said Dr Stella Iwuagwu, executive director of CRH and a spinal cord injury survivor.
Theophilus Odaudu, a programme officer at the Disability Rights Fund, spoke of the prejudice his able-bodied wife faced when she accepted his marriage proposal.
“A relative asked my wife, ‘We heard you are going to marry a blind man,’ and she said, ‘Yes,’ and then asked, ‘Are you prepared to spend your whole life looking after someone?’ But she said, ‘I’m just dating him, I don’t look after him. We’ve been married for 10 years.'”
Theophilus also noted that a lack of inclusivity, inadequate resources and age restrictions limit educational and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
“Many jobs have age restrictions – you can’t apply if you’re over 24, but most people with disabilities are still in school at 24.”
“I was able to pursue an education because I had a father who understood the complexities of living with a disability and had the resources to meet my specific needs.”
Harmful reporting by both international and local media exacerbates the situation and reinforces existing notions and perceptions.
But there is hope: Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, noted that disability rights and justice have become an important global topic.
“Around the world, there are growing grassroots voices calling for accountability, rights and justice for people with disabilities, and the time is now.”
“Most charities and many donors are fixated on alleviating poverty, reducing inequalities and injustice, and do little to support and empower the leadership, rights and development of people with disabilities.
“The Ford Foundation has always been a walking path on this issue, and in recent years, we as donors have made a long-overdue move to recognize that there can be no justice without justice for people with disabilities,” Walker said.
Participants discussed the need for inclusive education, health care and agriculture. “We can acknowledge the diverse experiences within the disability community and use them to inform development,” said Ekaete Umoh, former director of global disability inclusion and Ford Foundation fellow.
Rasaq Adekoya, a disability inclusion and development consultant, stressed the importance of redefining existing concepts and perceptions by creating inclusive media that tells the stories of people with disabilities without bias.
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