The Albino Foundation Public Notice
The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, NCPWD, in partnership with major stakeholders and states in Nigeria has come together to build capacity and advocate for access to justice for Persons with Disabilities in the nation. Also, stressing the need for mechanism to be in place for redress in the case of discrimination or right violation.
The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Chief Ayuba Gufwan in the sensitization workshop organized by the commission, assured stakeholders of NCPWD determination to strengthening institutional capacity of all, and to ensure the full implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 through compliance, monitoring, enforcement, and legal redress.
Chief Gufwan affirmed that persons with disabilities must have access to justice in any case of discrimination.
He said “Today is very significant because many persons with disabilities have suffered depression due to maltreatment from various segments of the society
“We have a working figure of 35,500,000 Nigerians with disabilities. This is a staggering figure as we are more populous than some African nations. When we add parents, sibling and relatives of persons with disabilities, the number goes even higher.
“Now that the 5 years moratorium period has elapsed, we are in the enforcement era. From today going forward, it’s action time. It becomes imperative to organize a seminar of this nature to empower the people who will go out there to begin the full implementation of act.”
The ES, however, expressed gratitude to disability Partners who worked hard in championing advocacy on the rights of PWDs.
In the same vein, he thanked the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) for supporting the Commission to impact knowledge on the legal practitioners in the administration of justice for Persons With Disabilities in Nigeria.
Chief Ayuba Gufwan, therefore, urged the participants to make the Disability Act a living document beyond the letters.
In her welcome address, Mrs. Patience Ogolo-Dickson, Head, Development Partnership and Programs Unit, NCPWD, explained that the capacity building workshop is aimed to support the staff of the commission and other relevant stakeholders and build capacity to operationalize and implement the Operational Guidelines for Provision of Legal Protection and Redress in Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018
She said “This implies the strong commitment of the Commission to deliver on its mandate in accordance with the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018.
“This 2-Days workshop is a part of the one of the key findings from the Capacity Needs Assessment Report conducted is the need to build the capacity of staff of the Commission which includes training staff of the legal Unit of the NCPWD and other relevant stakeholders to implement the Operational Guidelines for Provision of Legal Protection and Redress in Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
“It is our expectation that participants through this workshop are equipped to address cases of discrimination against persons with disabilities effectively as well as to explore the comprehensive referral pathways through which complaints of rights violations may be resolved.”
In attendance are international partners, the World Bank, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA International), the European Union, Federal Ministry of Justice, National Judiciary Institute, National Human Rights Commission, the paramilitary, JONAPWD, stares, the media and a host of others stakeholders.
