Disability leaders in Anambra State have called for stronger action to challenge social attitudes and harmful beliefs that expose persons with disabilities, particularly women and girls, to gender-based violence (GBV), abuse and exploitation.
The call was made by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Anambra State chapter, during a dialogue on preventing gender-based violence and strengthening community protection for persons with disabilities in Awka, the state capital.
The leaders said; “disability inclusion should form part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to prevent gender-based violence and protect vulnerable groups, particularly through accessible reporting, referral, healthcare and justice systems.”
Speaking at the dialogue, JONAPWD Anambra State Chairman, Okeke Ugochukwu Ernest urged disability leaders to move beyond responding to reported cases of abuse and take deliberate steps to prevent violence before it occurs.
The dialogue, themed; “From Complaint to Deliberate Action, defining Disability Inclusion for Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Community Protection,” was supported by ActionAid.
Okeke stressed the need to equip persons with disabilities with information about their rights and create safe channels through which survivors can report abuse without fear, shame or stigma.
“We must create an environment where a person who reports violence is believed, supported, protected and properly referred, not blamed, silenced or abandoned,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, healthcare providers, justice institutions, civil society organisations and community leaders to develop accessible and responsive systems for preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
According to him, disability inclusion should be incorporated into government policies and programmes from the planning stage rather than treated as an afterthought.
“Persons with disabilities must not be an afterthought in GBV prevention and protection programmes,” Okeke said, calling for their inclusion in planning, budgeting, awareness campaigns, reporting mechanisms, referral systems and community protection strategies.
He said meaningful progress should be measured by the number of vulnerable people protected, survivors supported and potential cases of violence prevented.
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Okeke also urged disability leaders to strengthen community awareness, reporting and referral mechanisms and take greater ownership of efforts to prevent gender-based violence.
Also speaking, the Muslim Co-Chairman on GBV in Anambra, Alhaji Sheriff Olanrewaju, expressed concern over the vulnerability of women and girls with disabilities to gender-based violence.
Olanrewaju said women and girls with disabilities face “ten times” the risk of GBV, attributing the vulnerability to factors including dependence on caregivers and mobility and communication barriers.
He called on the government to investigate and regulate traditional practitioners allegedly linked to abuse and urged authorities to improve access to justice for persons with hearing and communication disabilities.
He particularly advocated wider use of sign language to enable deaf people to report abuse and participate effectively in justice processes.
The Acting Head of the Anambra State Disability Rights Commission, Jane Ajaegbu, and ActionAid Focal Person, Perpetual Nwakelundu, pledged stronger collaboration with JONAPWD to advance disability-inclusive efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
The dialogue brought together government officials, representatives of the Anambra State Disability Rights Commission, civil society organisations, religious leaders, security agencies and JONAPWD coordinators from the state’s 21 local government areas.
Participants adopted action plans committing LGA coordinators and cluster leaders to prevent, protect, report, refer, follow up and demand accountability in cases involving persons with disabilities.
They also resolved to challenge attempts to use disability as a justification for violence, exploitation, discrimination or exclusion.
The participants reaffirmed their commitment to promoting communities where persons with disabilities can live with dignity, equality and safety and have access to protection and justice without discrimination.
