Stakeholders in Ekiti State have advocated for inclusion of Women and girls With Disabilities in all societal engagements as they bemoaned high rate of discrimination against them in the society.
The stakeholders made this known in a programme organized by Advocacy for Women With Disabilities Initiative tittled: STRATEGIC STAKEHOLDERS TRAINING ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES, held at Koltotel Hotel Ado Ekiti on Wednesday.
The Programme Manager who doubles as the Resource Person, Mr Kolawole Jayeoba called on Stakeholders to see Women and Girls With Disabilities as normal human beings who were only challenged to do certain activities but endowed in several other ways.
Stressing that discriminating against them would not only hamper their resourcefulness but lower their self esteem .
Highlighting some of the problems they faced, the Programme Manager of WWDI said they were hardly given the needed healthcare services, employment, privileges, respect and opportunities in government and private Organisations due to their challenges.
The Stakeholders training had in attendance; the media personel, health officials, Representatives of Ministry of Justice Ekiti State, Representatives of Ekiti State Audit Department, GBV Coordinators among others, all advocated for the implementaion of Disability Laws, using up to date data to budget for them for total inclusion in all societal engagements in the state.
Jayeoba, who called on Ekiti State government to allow people with Disabilities have access to Government facilities, employment and Health facilities, saying Government offices and private residences should have lifts, ramps, sign language interpreters and relevant tools and equipments that would aid their accessibility and sense of belonging.
The Resource Person who attributed discrimination faced by people with Disabilities to wrong perceptions in the society which he said emanated from Charity model, traditional/ Cultural model, Medical, Religious and Societal Models that put them at disadvantaged.
The Programme Manager in a separate interview said” We advocate for the rights of women and girls with disabilities as regards their sexual and reproductive health right.
“Most of the time, our women don’t have access to the hospital, there are no ramps and where there is ramp, there are no sign language interpreter, where there is sign language interpreter the attitude of the health providers are not welcoming. So because of that we tend to engage the media, stakeholders and health workers to enlighten them better.
“Ekiti state have signed into law, the act that protect persons with disabilities and we see that the act has not been implemented as it suppose to be.
“We should have a correct perspective concerning people with disabilities or community of persons with disability. They should not be view as Charity people, people you need to go and give N20 or one money in one shrine and when you’re bringing it out, you’re looking for a person with disability to give. That is wrong.
“We should not also see persons with disabilities as a burden but as part of the society as they have something to contribute in the development of our nation.”
He further advised people with Disabilities not to be contented to alms given them, saying they should hold government accountable, get the duty bearers accountable and work on themselves to get a better self esteem, so that they would not be reduced to ordinary N20.
Contributing, the Special Adviser to Governor Oyebanji on community communications Development, Mrs Mary Oso Omotoso reiterated Governor Oyebanji’s love for people with Disabilities, which she said necessitated why the governor
Prioritized their welfares.
She promised Government continue support for them and the full implementaion of the People with Disabilities law.
Also speaking, The Executive Director, Disability Not A Barrier Initiative (DNABI) and General Secretary of Persons with disabilities in Ekiti state.
Mr Olajide Funsho Benjamin, advocated for the appointment of Executive Secretary of People with Disabilities as enshrined in the Disabilities law, which he said must be held by person with Disability, saying that was the only panacea for inclusiveness.
In his submission, he said”
“Currently the person occupying the position is not a person with disability and it is affecting the kind of service that persons with disabilities in Ekiti state ought to be getting from that office.
“We recognize their effort but of course, it’s not going on as it should because he who wears the shoe knows where it pinches.
“We are calling on the disability loving governor of Ekiti State to look into the matter by appointing a person with disability who is going to be in the position of executive secretary. If this is done, it will signal the total inclusion that persons with disabilities are asking for.
“The general public should show empathy to persons with disabilities instead of sympathy. They should put necessary facilities in place in their private residence and public places to ensure that persons with disabilities have access.
“They should also rise up and support persons with disabilities as far as the issue of sexual and reproductive right of women and girls with disabilities are concerned.
“People with disabilities should speak up whenever they have issues that have to do with gender based violence and get justice for it.
On her part, the coordinator for Advocacy Women With Disabilities Initiative in Ekiti State, Mrs
Ibitoye Helen Oluwatoyin, appealed to Nigerians to treat them with utmost respect and give them their rightful place in the society. She added “we should have unhindered access to rights and privileges enjoyed by our fellow women who are not physically challenged.”
“We are humans too, persons with disabilities have double problems, we want a society that will be free and fair for us”
The media promised to enlightened and projected the activities of Women With Disabilities to changing the perspectives of the society towards them While other relevant stakeholders reiterated their commitement towards joining the vanguard to better position them in the society.