The Network of Disabled Women (NDW) has called for more political participation and enhanced legislative process for disabled women and girls, saying this will increase their inclusiveness in all national issues.
Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the network, Imoete Edet, made the call in Abuja during a conference to commemorate Global Human Rights Day on Strategies for Political Participation of Women with Disabilities, Legislative Process and Advocacy.
According to Edet, the political participation of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) dropped from 8 per cent to 1 per cent during the last general elections, calling for more strategies to ensure their participation in future electoral processes.
” The drop in political participation is due to insecurity, some PWDs are afraid that during chaos or stampedes, they might likely be caught in the middle with nobody to assist them.
” Also, access to voting centres or materials to enable them participate fully has also hindered them from exercising their rights,” he said.
He said the conference aimed at sensitising the women with appropriate information that would enable them participate in politics, vie for positions and the necessary requirements needed to enable them access supports during elections.
” Our expectation is that more women with disabilities will be educated on the need to participate actively in politics and not see their disabilities as a limitation, but can actually strive to vote and be voted for during any political election,” he said.
Ms Eunice Uchechi-Nwokocha, a member of the network, stressed the need for persons living with albinism to also be considered and attended to, rather than joining the long queue under the sun, which puts them at risk on contacting skin cancer.
Similarly, Victoria Sani, another member encouraged PWDs to always speak out to ensure stakeholders prioritise issues affecting them and promote inclusiveness in all national issues.
