The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has urged governments at all levels, the private sector and the general public to work collectively toward building an inclusive society where persons with disabilities (PWDs) can thrive.
The Acting Director of the Centre, Mr. Godwin Unumeri, made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos to commemorate the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).
The IDPD, marked annually on Dec. 3, has the 2025 theme: “Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress.”
Unumeri said the theme aligns strongly with the Centre’s long-standing commitment to promoting the rights, inclusion, participation and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
“For many years, CCD has worked to ensure that both state and non-state actors mainstream disability inclusion into their programmes, policies and services.
“As we mark the 2025 edition of IDPD, we reiterate our dedication to building a society where every person, regardless of disability status, can access equal opportunities, participate fully and reach their full potential,” he said.
He noted that despite progress made through global frameworks such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Nigeria’s Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, PWDs in the country continued to face significant barriers.
Unumeri said these challenges were worsened by the exclusion of PWDs from governance structures, political processes, leadership positions and community decision-making platforms, resulting in their voices being overlooked in shaping policies that directly affect them.
He emphasized that creating a truly inclusive society requires deliberate, sustained and coordinated action.
“Social progress cannot be achieved when millions of persons with disabilities remain systematically excluded from education, employment, healthcare, infrastructure, public services and social protection systems.
“Social development rooted in poverty eradication, productive employment, decent work and inclusive public participation cannot be realized without disability inclusion at its centre.
“For societies to be cohesive, resilient and accountable, institutions must ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy equal access to opportunities and are recognized as contributors to national development,” he said.
According to him, to advance sustainable development in line with SDGs 4, 8, 10, 11 and 17, disability inclusion must guide national planning and resource allocation, adding that without integrating PWDs across these goals, Nigeria’s social and economic progress would fall short.
“To translate this year’s theme into meaningful action, CCD calls on government at all levels, private-sector actors, development partners, civil society organizations and communities to embed disability inclusion in all policies, programmes and development plans.
“Stakeholders must promote disability-inclusive recruitment practices, ensure equal pay for equal work, support entrepreneurship and expand access to vocational training tailored to diverse disability needs,” Unumeri added.
