Group calls on federal government to implement Disability Act
- Disability Rights Advocacy Center (DRAC) has called on the federal government to implement the Disability Act signed into law in January 2019
- The Act provides integration of persons living with disabilities into the society and establishes a national commission saddled with the responsibility of welfare and development
- DRAC also urges society to develop a healthy perception of persons living with disability
The Disability Rights Advocacy Center (DRAC) has called on the federal government to implement the Disability Act signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari in January.
DRAC, in a breakfast meeting held on November 27 presented the reality of gender-based violence and discrimination faced by persons living with disability in a short film and urged the federal government to implement the Disability Act in order to protect and cater to the needs of persons living with disability in Nigeria.
The Act provides full integration of persons living with disability into society and establishes a national commission for persons living with disability with responsibility of providing welfare and development for the otherwise vulnerable group.
However, after nine years of relentless advocacy in trying to get the Disability Act signed into law and almost a year after its passing, it is yet to be implemented. The none implementation of the Act hinders the creation of a national commission dedicated to providing welfare, education and development for persons living with disability as stated in the Act.
It also impedes on the full integration of persons living with disability into society. DRAC has also called on Nigerians to develop a healthy perception of persons living with disability and uphold a none-discriminatory attitude.
Source: UGC
While speaking to the press, executive director of DRAC, Irene Patrick-Ogbogu urged the federal government to implement the Disability Act.
She also expressed the desire for a better society in which stereotypes of persons living with disability are expunged and empowering depictions of the group are largely adopted.
“The federal government should implement the Disability Act it signed into law since the start of the year.
“The media should use empowering statements and depictions when talking about persons living with disability,” she said.
Meanwhile, the federal government says it would soon finalize and disseminate a 5-year costed strategic plan for the implementation of the National SRHR policy for persons with disabilities.
This was disclosed by the minister of health, Dr Osagie Enahire on Tuesday, November 5 in Abuja.
The minister who was represented by a director in the ministry of health, Dr C Ugboko, made the statement at the project launch of 'Making It Work.'
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Jerrywright Ukwu Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.
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