By Francis Oliver
Building disability inclusive policies and society does not just benefit people with disabilities, it benefits everyone. An easily accessible building may also help the elderly, a pregnant woman, or plain language documents may be easily understood by young and elderly people. An inclusive environment at work establishes a sense of belonging among employees. When employees feel more connected at work, they tend to work harder and smarter, producing higher quality work.
From a survey by SightSavers, it was observed that most pedestrians (non-disabled) prefer to use the ramp in public places than the staircase. In a similar survey by INCLUSION Magazine, it was discovered that most people enjoy more the use of large prints, audio renditions and screen readers that was initially designed for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Therefore, it can be said that an inclusive policy although designed to benefit PWDs, would in the long run benefit the whole society as it boost sense of wellbeing, productivity, improve employment outcomes and reduce costs for our public health and social system – which would lead to a GDP growth.
One of the leaders in inclusive policy and development advocacy in Nigeria, TAF Africa (formally the president and founder of the Albino Foundation) has built benchmark and milestones that are hard to meet by other NGOs and CSOs.
TAF Africa
Established in 2006 as the Albino Foundation (TAF), now TAF AFRICA is principally an organisation established for persons with albinism and other vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities. The foundation is an independent non-governmental organization. TAF AFRICA is a special focus organization advocating for the recognition and respect of the rights and socio-economic inclusion of people with disabilities in Nigeria; as well as assist and empower them to find their rightful place in society.
TAF AFRICA now bears national spread cut across the 36 states of the federation and FCT-Abuja. The foundation equally partners with some disability organisations and institutions in Nigeria to ensure that persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups are socially and economically empowered.
TAF AFRICA an advocacy organisation that empowers PWDs and educates the society on issues of disabilities in Nigeria covers the following area: education, health, justice, governance, social protection and human rights.
WHY TAF AFRICA
Disability advocacy helps people who have a disability navigate their way through complex systems or challenges, especially in situations where their voices have historically been ignored. Persons with Disabilities face a range of challenges and barriers that limit their ability to fully participate in the society.
Nigeria as a developing country, it is estimated that about 30 million Nigerians are with one form of disability. TAF AFRICA believe that empowering Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) is a crucial step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society. TAF AFRICA’s theory of change is built on awareness, accessibility, advocacy, education, partnership.
The programs of TAF AFRICA have benefited many Nigerians directly and indirectly. Parents are longer ashamed to be identified with their children with disabilities as was the norm in previous years. With TAF AFRICA advocacy, many parents now understand the needs of their children, know assistance are available and how to access such. Example is the Albinism health care advocacy project which started in 2007 with the Federal Government which is the Skin Cancer prevention and treatment project. In 2013 The National Health Insurance Scheme, (NHIS) inaugurated a 16-member committee to work out modalities for a special health insurance package for 80 per cent of persons with albinism in Nigeria. As at 2022, it estimated that about 5,500 Albinism Skin Cancer Patients have been treated by the National Hospital Abuja.
The advocacy by TAF AFRICA has created awareness among Nigerians on the prevention, care and treatments for other forms of cancers.
The advocacy for inclusive education has raised awareness and schools (public and private) have made concerted efforts to build in some forms of accessibility and inclusive mechanism in their structures and curriculums. The modifications and policy change by such institutions have benefited other student alike (non-disabled student). Those interviewed explained that such innovation makes learning interesting. One staff of a primary school said “a child can go home fine and come the next school day with injury or pain, such facilities make it easy for the child to continue to learn as he heals.”
Now let’s discuss the special landmark achievement by TAF AFRICA, political inclusion of PWDs.
2023 ELECTIONS – TAF AFRICA DISABILITY ADVOCACY
TAF Africa has led major interventions toward improving the participation of persons with disabilities, by advocating for their inclusion at the political party levels, and their involvement in the electoral process. The advocacy and interventions led primarily by TAF AFRICA and other major stakeholders and partners yielded outstanding outcome as the electoral law of Nigeria for the first time incorporated PWDs into the political process.
Session 54 of the Electoral Act 2022 mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make special provisions for people with disabilities and those with special needs. This clause broadened the scope of inclusiveness as it has largely eliminated the long exclusion of the large population of persons with disability from participating in the electoral and voting processes.
TAF AFRICA as a benchmark organization on disability inclusive advocacy, initiated series of projects aimed at PWDs taking full advantage of the law. It started with series of awareness and advocacy on educating PWDs, DPO, CSOs, MDAs and electoral partners on the interpretation of the law and how PWDs can take advantage of the law to fully participate in the 2023 elections.
The organization then launched the Able2Vote program, followed by Votable and presently Able-to-Serve, all funded by European Union Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria.
The campaigns is aimed at voter’s education to enlighten the community of PWDs on the need to vote and be voted for. A special project of its kind in the nation’s history.
From the state-of-the-art hub and app deployed by TAF AFRICA we know how many PWDs participated in the electoral process, the loopholes to fill in next elections and lessons learned.
PWDS 2023 ELECTIONS PARTICIPATIONS
Below are data of PWDs in the 2023 elections:
- 85, 362 persons with disability registered as voters
- 37 Candidates With Disabilities contested for various electable positions
Disability Distribution of contestants:
- Albinism: 17
- Blindness: 3
- Deafness: 4
- Paraplegic/Crippled: 5
- Others: 8
Polling Unit Data
| State | Constituency | Party | Name | Disability Type | Age | Gender | Election |
| Sorted Ascending | |||||||
| Abia | Abia North | NRM | Wogu Chinoyerem | Visually Impaired | 56 | M | Senatorial |
| Akwa Ibom | Governorship | PDP | Eno Uno Bassey | Albinism | 57 | M | Governorship |
| Bayelsa | Ekeremor Ii | AA | Paleowei Ezebri William | Others | 37 | M | Governorship |
| Cross River | Yala I | APC | Anyogo Regina Leonard | Albinism | 46 | F | Governorship |
| Delta | Ndokwa West | PRP | Onwuma Hendrix Achi | Deaf/Dumb | 41 | M | Governorship |
| Ebonyi | Ishielu South | NRM | Aliede Tonie Ae-Brayn | Paraplegic/Crippled | 46 | M | Governorship |
| Edo | Edo North | AA | Onaivi Francis Ojo | Paraplegic/Crippled | 63 | M | Senatorial |
| Edo | Edo South | ADC | Igunbor Oluwakemi Christiana | Deaf/Dumb | 45 | F | Senatorial |
| Enugu | Udi South | APGA | Ene Nebechi Ikechukwu | Others | 49 | M | Governorship |
| Kaduna | Birnin Gwari/Giwa | NNPP | Abdullahi Nuraddeen | Others | 34 | M | House Of Representatives |
| Kogi | Dekina/Biraidu | LP | Sani Johnson | Albinism | 50 | M | Governorship |
| Lagos | Ikeja I | ADC | Akinwale Kolawole Adetokunbo | Albinism | 59 | M | Governorship |
| Ondo | Eseodo/Ilaje | ADC | Nejo Myson Adeyemi | Others | 40 | M | House Of Representatives |
| Ondo | Ileoluji/Okeigbo/Odigbo | ADC | Boniface Moses | Albinism | 39 | M | House Of Representatives |
| Osun | Ife North | BP | Ojerinde Ekundayo David | Paraplegic/Crippled | 36 | M | Governorship |
| Plateau | Mangu South | AA | Daspan Musa Nandi | Deaf/Dumb | 47 | F | Governorship |
| Rivers | Port Harcourt Ii | ADC | Enoch Ebi Naomi | Albinism | 35 | F | House Of Representatives |
| Rivers | Okrika | ADC | John Akuroseokika Gabriel | Albinism | 36 | M | Governorship |
| Rivers | Port-Harcourt Ii | PRP | Kienabere Tammy Lucas | Others | 38 | M | Governorship |
| Sokoto | Governorship | ADP | Liman Ibrahim Muhammad | Albinism | 57 | M | Governorship |
| Taraba | Donda | APM | Jonathan Taaziya | Albinism | 39 | M | Governorship |
| Taraba | Karim Lamido Ii | PRP | Musa Abdulmumini Maltumbi | Paraplegic/Crippled | 42 | M | Governorship |
| Zamfara | Maradun Ii | ADC | Abdullahi Ahmad | Albinism | 25 | M | Governorship |
| Zamfara | Gummi Ii | NRM | Hassan Abubakar | Paraplegic/Crippled | 39 | M | Governorship |
Data source: TAF AFRICA Election Hub
WAY FORWARD
TAF Africa has succeeded in Setting Inclusive Benchmark in Nigeria for PWDs, the current campaign on Able-to-Serve is a laudable lobby process that when implemented properly will yield positive result.
TAF AFRICA should work with other NGOs and CSOs to ensure the lobby process is utilized well.
Heads of MDAs should be coopted into the lobby as these have access to the incoming administration at the highest level.
Media agencies should advocate more for inclusion of PWDs appointments into the government cabinet.
TAF AFRICA should hold a national conference for other organization for PWDs and CSOs to be able to achieve as TAF AFRICA has, so that the landmark set by TAF AFRICA will not be eroded by time.
TAF AFRICA should hold engagement roundtable for media practitioners, heads of MDAs, State agencies and international bodies.