From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Ministers in Charge of People with Disabilities in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), yesterday, met in Abuja over the adoption of the ECOWAS Action Plan on the Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities.
Speaking during the meeting, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Fatou Sow Sarr, said with the adoption of the Action Plan on the Inclusion of People with Disabilities, a further step is taken in the realization of Vision 2050, towards the ECOWAS of the peoples and thus, contributing to the construction of an ECOWAS of the people, a more social ECOWAS.
Sow said: “As at the beginning of any human work, any process, we have experienced difficulties and we will certainly encounter difficulties of all kinds, which will not be without affecting the accomplishment of our plans, but with determination and sustained efforts from all, we will be able to obtain better results and effectively offer a better life to people with disabilities in the ECOWAS region and around the world.
“Before getting to where we are today with the adoption of this plan, a diagnostic regional study on disability inclusion was first carried out. This study revealed some gaps and demonstrated that despite this state of affairs, ECOWAS Member States have made constant progress in critical areas such as statistical data on disability, the ratification of international instruments on the inclusion of disability, protection of the rights of women and children with disabilities and consultations with persons with disabilities, as well as existence of inclusive policies and plans.”
Sow explained that the Regional Action Plan on Disability Inclusion in West Africa – 2022-2030, covers three main priority areas of action to further strengthen disability inclusion in ECOWAS Member States and people’s organizations disabled in their struggles for their protection and recognition and promotion of their rights.
“The three priority areas which include activities, verifiable results and timeline are: Improving disability inclusion across all aspects of the work of the ECOWAS Commission; Improvement of the legal and policy environment for the inclusion of people with disabilities and Strengthened regional partnerships for increased resource mobilization for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
“Knowing that Persons with disability are vulnerable and living in most cases in precariousness, the ECOWAS Commission has intensified its collaboration with the National and Regional Associations of Persons with Disabilities, and organized various awareness forums for Persons with Disabilities and initiated its program to provide palliatives to persons with disabilities in Abuja.
“Currently, we are implementing a pilot project which covers 2 ECOWAS member states which are Togo and Nigeria, and this program will provide assistive devices to children with disabilities and is expected in the future, to cover all member states this which is an invaluable opportunity not only to reaffirm our commitment to the provisions of Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities the Sustainable Development Goals and the vision of ECOWAS 2050,” Sow added.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, said Nigeria has demonstrated a strong commitment to implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD), which was ratified in 2007.
Enitan also said Nigeria passed the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and subsequently approved the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, whose mandate is to coordinate and implement activities that ensure the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities into society in areas such as education, healthcare, employment, civil rights, and related matters, as outlined in the Act.
“In addition, our President signed the instrument of ratification of the protocol to the African Union Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria in the year 2023.
“While applauding Member States that have signed and ratified the relevant disability Instruments, I would like to encourage Member States that are yet to sign and ratify the Instruments on -Disability to consider doing so. This will demonstrate our region’s collective effort in promoting the rights and dignity of people with disabilities,” Enitan said.
Enitan also said disability inclusion remained a critical issue in the region, with millions of individuals experiencing barriers to empowerment initiatives and social protection, among others.
He used the occasion to advocate for people with disabilities to be gainfully employed within the ECOWAS Commission as part of the Commission’s effort to prioritize inclusion.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Mohammed Abba Isa, said Nigeria salutes the milestone and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is proud to have the ministers in Nigeria.
“My principal signed the Instrument of Ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa on October 19, 2023.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has mandated my office to implement the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on Disability Inclusion,” Isa said.