By Justina Auta
The Network of Women with Disabilities (NWD) and Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) have called for the inclusion of Person Living with Disabilities (PLWD) in the electoral process, as Nigeria prepared for the 2023 general elections.
Speaking during a walk and presentation of the charter of demand for women with disability to the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, the groups called for the protection of the rights and safety of persons living with disabilities during the polls.
The Programme Officer at WRAPA, Zainab Abdulrasheed, called for the inclusion of PLWD in the implementation of the electoral process guidelines.
“Part of it is ensuring polling units are accessible for PWDs and be able to participate meaningfully during election to exercise their franchise or voting candidates of their choice.
“And not be intimidated because inaccessibility of polling units can deter prospective voters from exercising their franchise.
“And this is the right time to promote PWDs especially women in the 2023 election and beyond.
“This activity came at the right time towards the 2023 election, where we know that polling is about to take place and we hope INEC has put in place resources to ensure inclusiveness for PWDs and others alike,” she said.
Ms. Godiya John of Media and Communication Officer at the FCT Chapter of NWD, called on the government to uphold the rights of PLWDs, especially women.
“All we are asking is inclusion in politics, governance, health, education. We are asking of inclusion, our rights to vote, rights to be voted for, rights to education, rights to gainful employment.
“We want government to include us in politics, we want them to know that there is so much ability in us, so much we can contribute to the political sphere of the government.
“So, we are asking for inclusion, women generally are asking for just 35 per cent, but we are asking for only 10 per cent from government.
“When you empower a woman with disabilities, you empower the nation because most are mothers.
“We have been discriminated and abandoned, but when we are empowered it will go along way in the contribution of the development of the country,” she said.
The abridged version of the charter of demands presented at the ministry states the provisions of the laws of Nigeria in disabilities rights as it pertains to the PWDs, particularly women in the forthcoming elections.
