The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) has concluded a two-day capacity-building workshop in Benin City, training 35 individuals as “disability inclusion champions.”
The workshop, supported by the Ford Foundation, aimed to equip participants with the skills to advocate for inclusive education, accessible healthcare, and the enforcement of disability rights within Edo State.
The training brought together a diverse group of young advocates, representatives from civil society organizations, media personnel, and members of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) from across the state.
Winnie Ishaku, Programme Officer of JONAPWD, stated that the training focused on mainstreaming both disability and gender inclusion in policy engagement.
She emphasized the importance of considering accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and quality when designing programs.
Ishaku expressed the organization’s goal for participants to actively engage policymakers in sectors like education and health to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities are implemented.
She also advocated for a shift from special schools to inclusive education models, where children with and without disabilities learn together.
The project also aims to establish a fully accessible primary healthcare center, complete with ramps, sign language interpreters, and assistive devices, to demonstrate the feasibility of universal design. JONAPWD hopes this will encourage the government to replicate the model across all local governments.
Ann Ojugu, Chairperson of JONAPWD in Edo, hailed the training as a catalyst for significant change in the state. She noted that the recent establishment of the Disability Commission by the governor, coupled with the training, would enable the organization to effectively engage with the commission, ministries, and local governments to eliminate exclusion.
Ibrahim Momoh, a participant, highlighted the workshop as an opportunity to review the implementation of the Edo Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Law, 2022.
He acknowledged the association’s advocacy efforts that led to the creation of the Disability Commission earlier this year. Momoh emphasized the importance of disseminating the knowledge gained from the workshop within communities, schools, mosques, and churches to raise awareness of disability rights.
The Ford Foundation-supported training is part of a larger initiative spanning Edo, Osun, and Sokoto States, with the goal of building a network of advocates who are dedicated to promoting an inclusive society.
