The Leprosy Mission Nigeria (TLMN), has lamented the violation of disabilities rights, poor health access and abuse from the family and caregivers of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
The National Director of TLMN, Dr Sunday Udo in a press conference in commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism and the International Day for Persons With Disabilities, lamented with dismay pointed out that the irony of the situation for persons with disabilities is that, while society denies their sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), they remain the most sexually violated and abused, most often by those who are family and caregivers, and as a result of their various forms of disabilities, forms of communications and expressions of these experiences, they are usually never taken into account.
The conference which was organised in collaboration with the Disability Rights Centre with support from MDF/NUFFIC Netherlands is in line with the global theme, Unite: Protect the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Accessible Sexual and Reproductive Health, including gender-based Violence, interventions.
He further said the established gender-based violence referral pathways, remain inaccessible to persons with disabilities, while perpetrators continue to violate them with impunity.
According to him: “Perpetuators are most times aware of the gaps inherent in seeking redress for persons with disabilities. Hence, they continue to get away with violating of the rights of persons with disabilities.
He, therefore maintained that it becomes imperative to amplify and bring to the fore, the violation of women and girls with disabilities in Nigeria, and in line with the theme of this year’s, 16 days activism on gender-based Violence: Unite! Activism to End Violence against Women and Girls.
Speaking further, he described the year 2022, International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Transformative Solutions for Inclusive Development as the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world.
“To this end, The Leprosy Mission Nigeria (TLMN) and the Disability Rights Advocacy Center (DRAC) deem it fit to organize a one-day Media conference, uniting to bring to the fore, issues of the rights of persons with disabilities to sexual and reproductive health rights and to ensure that the gender-based violence referral pathways are accessible to persons with disabilities without discrimination”.
“At this point, it is our strong demand that this media forum will amplify the voices and rights of PWDs, to sexual reproductive health rights, while speaking against gender-based violence of PWDs, including the need for structural inclusion and assistive technologies for persons with disabilities, for a more inclusive society.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Leprosy Mission laments violation of disabilities rights, poor health access
