Persons with disabilities, PWDs in Benue State have been challenged to get integrated into the society and focus on their abilities to be able to build an inclusive society.
This was part of recommendations at a two-day United Nation’s Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Strategic Advocacy Workshop for youths with Disabilities organised by Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative, HAPI, in collaboration with Disability Rights Fund and Disability Rights Advocacy Fund on the theme Building a Diverse Network of Young Persons with Disabilities in Benue, at Eyah Hotel in Makurdi, Benue.
Speaking at the occasion, the Executive Director, Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative, Aver Akighir, stated that it was an advocacy and awareness for the domestication of the disability law in the State and to build PWDs with the requisite knowledge on their rights as they continue their struggle for their emancipation and inclusiveness in the society.
In a presentation on the topic, Disability Inclusion, one of the facilitators, a legal practitioner with Gender and Disability Rights Advocacy Fund, Florence Marcus, enlightened the PWDs on their rights, urging them to report any infringement on their rights to appropriate authority.
Barrister Marcus, charged PWDs to always strive to be the best in whatever they do, stressing that there is ability in every disability, she urged them to always be ready to give valuable contributions in their respective careers when the opportunity presents itself.
The Personal Assistant to the Benue State Governor on Special Needs and Chairman Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Bem Anshe, said the workshop was an advocacy to young people with disabilities to sensitise them on their rights as captured in the national law in line with United Nation’s Convention on Rights of Persons with disabilities.
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According to Mr Anshe, the domestication of the disability law in Benue State when realised, will provide a legal framework to address peculiar challenges confronting persons with disabilities, hence the need to equip them with their rights.
In his remarks Program Officer, Mercy Jovkyundan expressed confidence in the process of domesticatio of the law in the state noting the inputs of critical stakeholders and government officials in the draft bill with the hope that the Governor of the State and Benue State House of Assembly will ensure the domestication of the law in the State in order to have a society devoid of discrimination and stigmatization.
Participants at the workshop highlighted the challenges faced by PWDs and decried the absence of the law protecting their rights in the State, noting however that with the stage the draft bill has gone, they were optimistic that their rights will soon be protected.
A participant from Gboko local government, Victor Answem, lauded the organisers of the advocacy workshop for PWDs, stating that it has exposed him particularly about his rights as a disabled, and has given him more confidence.
On her part, Mrs Rita Ichuan, said her joy was that when the law is finally domesticated, it will remove shame from PWDs and also give them the boldness to demand for justice when violated. In his remark, Msendoo Akule, who is based in Makurdi, said the program has impacted her positively, as the organisers educated them on their rights and their efforts to ensure a law is in place to protect PWDs from abuse among other things.
In a brief remark a board member of HAPI, Sister Aondoaershimana Akighir, acknowledged the efforts of the organisation and all other partners for their support, stating that with the expression from participants, the advocacy workshop for youths with disabilities is a huge success. Sister Akighir, called on the government of Benue State to do everything within its powers to put smiles on the faces of PWDs by domesticating the law in the State.
