‘PWDs deserve full access like other Nigerians’
Abdulazeez Musa, Country Director of CBM Global Disability Inclusion, has emphasized the fundamental right to equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities in the country. He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the launch of a project titled, ‘Rights in Action’. The Rights in Action project targeting PWDs in Adamawa state and the Federal […]
Abdulazeez Musa, Country Director of CBM Global Disability Inclusion, has emphasized the fundamental right to equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities in the country.
He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the launch of a project titled, ‘Rights in Action’.
The Rights in Action project targeting PWDs in Adamawa state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is funded by the Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It’s being facilitated by CBM Global Disability Inclusion and implemented by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and Inclusive Friends Association (IFA).
The project is expected to run for two years.
Musa said: “The project aims to help persons with disability to live their lives with dignity, to enjoy their full fundamental human rights, just like anybody else, and also have the ability and the capacity to self advocate, and particularly in this on this project,
“We will be focusing largely on the marginalized groups, because even amongst persons with disabilities, we have those that are also further marginalized. So you can imagine the layer of marginalization and discrimination.
“Nigeria, at the moment, has the Disability Rights Act passed. So, we are not short of laws. What we are really short of is the implementation. And of course, implementation would not happen if PWDs see themselves as persons that cannot contribute to the economic well being.
“This project will aim to address that, and hopefully, ultimately, what we aim to see is that this law is now being fully implemented, which means it’s been allocated funds during the budgeting process, and persons with disabilities are living and having full access, just like any other person in Nigeria is.”
Grace Jerry, Executive Director of IFA, said: “Oour expectation is spotlighting those marginalized organizations and empowering them to drive policies for themselves, by themselves, and for the general good of the marginalized groups.
“For instance, the deaf/blind communities of persons with disabilities haven’t really gained that much recognition in terms of their needs and their rights. This project seeks to amplify such marginalized groups and of course other groups.
“That’s why we are excited about sport lighting them and giving them an opportunity to drive policy for themselves.”
Abdullahi Aliyu Usman, JONAPWD President, said as part of the implementing partners “what we are dreaming to see after this project is that the underrepresented groups among persons with disability get their own freedom.”