By Ngozi Nwankwo
National Commission for Persons with Disabilities,NCPWD, has said there is the need for unity in promoting the rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities, noting that inclusive education is a top priority for the Commission.
The Executive Secretary, Hon. Ayuba Gufwan said this while receiving a delegation from the Sterling Inclusive Education and Development Initiative,SIEDI,on a courtesy visit to him in Abuja, Wednesday.
Gufwan, who received the delegation in his office, expressed appreciation for SIEDI’s commitment to inclusive education in Nigeria.
He noted that the Commission is working to address challenges faced by persons with disabilities despite inadequate budgetary allocation.
Speaking also, the SIEDI’s Executive Director, Mrs. Patience Agbamu appreciated the Commission’s efforts and highlighted SIEDI’s focus on inclusive education and disability rights, which according to her aligns with the Commission’s mandate.
Agbamu mentioned a six-month inclusive education pilot project and the need for collaboration to implement the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 is very important.
Key discussion points during the deliberations included: Advocacy engagement and collaboration on SIEDI’s ongoing project “Strengthening Protection and Resilience of Disability Rights Advocates in Nigeria”; Full activation of referral pathways for reporting violations against persons with disabilities; Commendation of NCPWD for developing Operational Guidelines for Provision of Legal Protection and Redress under the 2018 Act.
Other points included strengthening collaboration for accessible, safe, and timely response systems; Promoting accountability and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities; The need to identify institutions for activating and implementing clear, coordinated referral pathways for persons with disabilities and advocates to safely report abuse, harassment, or rights violations and how to receive timely responses.
