By Halimah Olamide
Country Director, of CBM Global Disability Inclusion, Ekaete Umoh, has lamented that disability issues are not considered human rights issues.
She said this on day 4 of the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism 16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, themed: “Do Nigerians with disabilities enjoy equal opportunities.
Umoh highlighted the barriers faced by people living with disabilities, stating that there is a restriction in them from accessing equal opportunities with able-bodied people.
She noted that the way people with disabilities are perceived is usually from a view of “pity” and oftentimes are only perceived to be on the receiving end.
Also, Umoh noted the restrictions in the government’s ways of implementing policies and passing laws and stressed that persons with disabilities are not considered in this regard.
“They will not have equal opportunities with others because these barriers could be further unpacked into different levels.
“One of the barriers that persons with disabilities will experience would be attitudinal barriers and perception, and attitude will lead to restriction in opportunities which will also form perception.
“They could also face other kinds of barriers because of the way policies and laws are being crafted and they are so invisible in that space and I will term that as institutional barriers
“If you look at it through the context of employment, the same thing will throw itself up again so because they face barriers, those barriers will stand in their way to accessing equal opportunities with others.
“Instead of looking at the barriers and removing those barriers so that people with disabilities can participate on an equal basis
“People with disabilities are a part of every community and are entitled to whatever rights that we have.”
A journalist and lawyer, Mr. Akinola Adenitan, speaking from a cultural perspective stated that some tribes or states do not see disabilities as an important issue but rather often spiritualized.
“From our cultural perspective, we do not see disabilities as an issue
“In some parts of Nigeria, people born with disabilities are seen as victims of spiritual attacks or something the parents might have done.” He said.
Adetunde Ademefun, a representative of the Joint National Association of People Living with Disabilities on his part stated that there is a capacity gap in addressing the issues posed at people living with disabilities.