Disabilities
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja, July 21, 2018 (NAN) The Founder of Cedar Seed Foundation, Mrs Lois Aura, on Saturday appealed to the Federal Government to establish legal frameworks to protect women and girls with disabilities.
Aura told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the legal framework should be in area of access to employment opportunities, education and health services.
She said there should be a disability desk unit set up in all government Ministries, Department and Agencies at the Federal, state and local government levels.
“Persons with disabilities often are excluded from the mainstream of the society and denied their human rights.
“Discrimination against persons with disabilities takes various forms, ranging from unfair discrimination, such as the denial of educational opportunities, to more subtle forms of discrimination, like segregation and isolation because of the imposition of physical and social barriers.
“Effects of disability-based discrimination have been particularly severe in fields such as education, employment, housing, transport, cultural life and access to public places and services,” she said.
Aura said if the discrimination continues, it may result to denial of reasonable accommodation on the basis of disability, which effectively nullifies or impairs the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of the rights of persons with disabilities.
She also said every state in the country should develop and implement policies aimed at making educational facilities and services more accessible to persons with disabilities.
Auta said it should include, infusing inclusive educational strategies into the main National policy on education and ensuring its functionality, investing more in training special educational professionals.
“National and state scholarship boards for persons with disabilities should be set up to encourage persons with disabilities who have the desires to further their studies.
“Free education should be given to persons with disabilities from basic to secondary schools and training centres should be provided for the unskilled selected from disability community,” she said.
NAN reports that Cedar Seed Foundation (CSF), is a Youth led NGO, with the aim of promoting the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities, particularly women and young persons with disabilities. (NAN)
OEO/OIF/AFA
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Felix Ajide