Persons with disabilities are also human, important to the society – NGO

By Ifeoma Ikem

Sahara Weekly Reports That TheInclusive Social Welfare & Empowerment Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) says persons with disabilities are human beings and are also important to the society.

The convener of the NGO, Mrs Pat Eleto said this during their one day conference with theme ‘Domestic Violence Affects People with Physical & Learning Disabilities’ in Lagos.

Eleto said that persons with disabilities presume nobody knows if they exist but they are human beings who have issues of abuse, rape and molestation.

“We came together to set up the organization so their voices could be heard by creating awareness about their plights.

“The initiative was established in September 2013 in UK and later incorporated in Nigeria in 2015 because we have a lot of cases reported in our office where persons with disabilities have been physically abused but no one cared to listen to them and these people do not know what their rights are.

“This is the fourth edition of Inclusive Social Welfare & Empowerment foundation conference which was set to help people with physical disabilities to know their rights”.

According to her, these people are human being like us, we are hoping that in the next five years, Lagos state would be able to reach out to persons with disabilities through NGOs because many more people with disabilities still need support to carry their daily activities and with this we will achieve more.

” We aim to support, advocate and challenge all forms of gender-related violence, to empower victims and survivors to gain more control over their lives, live without fear of violence and assert their human rights to justice, equality and freedom.

“The organization was initially for young children with disabilities that were involved in rape cases or any form of abuse but we decided to carry everyone along”.

Mr Isaac Anuoluwayinka, the coordinator Nigeria Association of the Blind Ifako, Lagos, expressed satisfaction for being part of the program which involves people with disabilities.

Anuoluwayinka note that mental disabilities which were being discussed at the conference affect most of them due to the way government describes them as intellectual disability.

” I am satisfied with this kind of lecture, it give us hope and sense of belonging to society.

“On the part of the government, little has been done on sensitising and educating the people on the availability and use of the law and rights of people living with disabilities.

” We need more awareness programmes as disability is no respecter of anyone.

He said that there is the need to know how to impact on these set of people and understand their plight, work with them and impact their lives.

“Let people know that those with disabilities also exist, that itself goes a long way.

” In Nigeria, people with disabilities are seen in one particular sector we shouldn’t be seen as a sector we should been included in the society, in programmes, services, welfare and any other event”.

Mr Harris Eleto, one of the speakers, who spoke on ‘The Difference between learning Disability & Physical Disability’ said no matter what they are, they are related.

“This means that the physical disabled persons require support in all areas of their lives, but in terms of learning disability requires full learning support”.

He noted that the four key points to work on in the lives of these persons with disabilities are their choices, their rights, their independence and their inclusion in the community”.

Another speaker on “Domestic Abuse on the elderly, Ms Audrey Ojiaku, said elderly people go through abuses including psychological abuse, physical abuse, physical injury and neglect among others.

She said elderly are vulnerable to abuse and violence because of discriminatory societal attitudes and non-realization of human rights.