The Albino Foundation Public Notice
By Adewale Adeyanju, INN report
Hope Inspired Foundation for Women and Youth (HIFWY), a Non-Government Organization committed to advancement of women and youth is making a case for sex education as a key component for empowering women and girls with disabilities.
The foundation believes sex education should be given priority if the UN objective of ensuring leadership and participation of Persons with Disabilities towards an Inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World is to be made realistic.
The Executive Director of HIFWY, Mrs. Janet Olanrewaju said this at a media parley convened on 3rd December, 2021 to commemorate International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Speaking to Journalists present at the event Mrs. Olarenwaju said the most important subject youths accessed on cyber space is sexuality.
“These youths, between the ages of 15-24 search sexually transmitted infections (STI), HIV; culture, society and sexuality; sexual harassment, abuse and violence; and personal relationships.”
Early adolescents, those aged 10-14years old, were more interested in learning about changes in their body than sex and relationships. Survey showed that 71% of 15-24 year old children sought sexuality education and information online in the past 12 months.
Olarenwaju notes that this presents a unique opportunity to reach young people, including marginalized groups, with sexuality education. However, it also begs the question: how do we ensure these contents are accessible, accurate and safe?”
The theme for this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is: ‘Leadership and participation of Persons with Disabilities towards an Inclusive, accessible and sustainable Post COVID-19 World.
Speaking further She says “there is need to improve sexuality education of women and girls with disability.
“Our Organization is providing a platform for the promotion of well-being, and protection of Rights of young women/girls and youths, particularly those with Disabilities through education, empowerment and advocacy. The aim is to enable them thrive and make meaningful contributions in society”.
Going further, the executive director revealed that her NGO has started a pilot project in partnerships with Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS), the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) and Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) Lagos State Chapter, to implement sex education programmes and launch booklets on sex education. The booklets will be translated into Braille for the Blind and some local languages in Nigeria.
Clarifying the need for sex education, Olanrewaju noted that over one billion people living with disabilities are excluded and marginalized. They are among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis in terms of fatalities.
“Since health is of utmost concern to humanity; and to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind, an integrated approach or – inclusiveness is required.”
Ms. Adebimpe Lawal, a blind staff of HIFWY gave vivid account of her own experience and why sex education should be encouraged for women and girls with Disabilities alhough sex education as a subject is still a taboo in this part of the world.
She maintains that parents should endeavour to train their girl child so that they will not have difficulty growing and coping with changes in their body and challenges they may face. They should not be left to grope in darkness, she said.
Rahman Finnih of Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS), while examining the rationale behind providing sexuality education for persons with disabilities, did a cursory look into Sexual and Gender based violence (SGBV). According to findings, these injustices have surprisingly intensified since the outbreak of COVID-19.
He cited the UN shadow pandemic report which made it clear that SGBV has increased tremendously since COVID-19 outbreak.
This coincides in many countries with a reduction in services to support survivors, partly due to operational challenges and reduced funding for law enforcement agencies and local women’s organizations, which play an essential role in violence against women (VAW) service-provision – an area overlooked in terms of emergency, such as COVID-19 pandemic.
Accordingly, through sexuality education, these Persons with Disabilities will be equipped to reduce high rates of unwanted pregnancy among them. Also, there will be reduction in low esteem and mental illness, drug abuse and suicide rates. The rate of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and infections as well as exposure to COVID-19 virus will be checked.
INN learnt that the project will create more public awareness through strategic engagements for the purpose of promoting positive attitudes on the sexuality rights and needs of women and girls with disabilities. It will also strengthen the capacities of women and girls with disabilities in Lagos State, protect their sexual rights, mentor, and engage them with relevant authorities. Also, the project will, among others, strengthen the capacities of at least 10 local educational institutions to deliver inclusive sexuality education and related services to women and girls with disabilities.
Meanwhile, the roles of the media in advocating for the sexuality rights of Persons with Disabilities were explained to media practitioners who were charged to sensitize the public, engage in advocacy, and promote better and safer avenues for PWDs to learn and express their sexual rights.
The media parley concluded that when Persons with Disabilities, especially women and girls have access to inclusive and accessible sexuality education, it will help them prevent and eliminate SGBV.
Such access will also enable them to become advocate themselves. Self-esteem and confidence in expression of their sexuality is enhanced. They are also able to demand for other provisions in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
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