A Kaduna-based NGO, the BEACON of Transformative and Inclusive Development Center, has called for greater inclusion of persons living with cerebral palsy in all aspects of society.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mrs Abigail Olatunde, made the call in a statement on Tuesday in Kaduna to mark World Cerebral Palsy Day 2026.
The 2026 campaign, themed “Unique and United: Beyond Awareness to a World That Makes Room for Everyone,” highlights the diversity of people living with cerebral palsy.
Olatunde said no two people living with cerebral palsy are exactly alike, stressing that their abilities, needs, experiences and aspirations vary.
She said while some people with cerebral palsy walk independently, others use wheelchairs or other mobility support.
According to her, some communicate through speech, while others rely on augmentative or alternative communication systems.
She added that some people require considerable support in everyday life, while others live and work independently.
Olatunde said this diversity is why this year’s #UniqueANDUnited campaign is important in promoting genuine inclusion.
She said the campaign encourages society to see the individual before making assumptions and to listen before deciding what someone needs.
According to her, inclusion cannot be built around a single understanding of disability.
Olatunde said about 50 million people worldwide live with cerebral palsy, representing individual lives with different ambitions, abilities, challenges and relationships.
She said those individuals also have different ideas about what needs to change in their communities and societies.
“At The BEACON, we believe the conversation must therefore move beyond awareness alone,” she said.
Olatunde said children with cerebral palsy should not have to prove that they belong in classrooms before schools become accessible.
She said young people should not have their aspirations narrowed because others mistake physical or communication differences for inability.
The executive director said adults should not face avoidable barriers to healthcare, employment, transportation, public spaces or participation.
She said such barriers often exist because systems are designed without adequately considering the needs of persons with disabilities.
Olatunde also said families should not have to navigate education, rehabilitation, healthcare and social support largely on their own.
She said the question should not simply be whether people with cerebral palsy can adapt to society.
Instead, she urged schools, workplaces, health systems and communities to examine how they can adapt to enable everyone to participate with dignity.
According to her, the shift moves society away from sympathy towards rights and from assumptions towards listening.
She added that it also moves the focus from simply creating awareness towards identifying and removing barriers.
Olatunde said persons with cerebral palsy should be involved in decisions affecting their lives.
“Nothing about inclusion should be designed entirely around people while leaving their voices outside the room,” she said.
She said The BEACON joins the global community in celebrating what makes every person unique while recognising what becomes possible when those voices are united.
Olatunde said meaningful change can begin in every community by listening to people with cerebral palsy and making essential services accessible.
She called for genuine opportunities for persons living with cerebral palsy to learn, work, lead and participate fully in society.
“Because inclusion is not asking everyone to fit into the world as it is.
“Sometimes, inclusion means having the courage to change the world we have built,” she said.
