Lack of Global Focus on Disabilities threat to meaningful devt – FG
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, has blamed development on disabilities on lack of global focus saying its attendant consequences remains a major challenge that continually threaten human existence and attainment of meaningful development.
The Minister speaking in Abuja on Saturday 3rd December on the occasion of the celebration of the 2016 International Day of persons with Disabilities with the theme “Achieving 17 Goals for the Future We Want” also said the theme of this year’s celebration draws attention to the 17 sustainable development goals recently adopted by the United Nations and how these goals can create more inclusive and equitable World for persons with disabilities.
She said that “this has led to the world attention been drawn towards addressing issues affecting persons with disabilities especially through the United Nations declaration, treaties, instruments, conventions and its optional protocols.”
The Minister enumerated objectives of this year’s celebration which includes drawing attention to the 17 sustainable development goals recently adopted by the UN; showcase and celebrate the contributions of persons with disabilities in Nigeria as agent of change development; create awareness on incivility access and empowerment of persons with disabilities; promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for dignity, rights and well- being of persons with disabilities.
“Aids and appliances to persons with disabilities with the help of our partners; advocacy visits to the interpreters in our hospitals as part of rehabilitation service for the hearing impaired and for making our health facilities disability friendly have been put in place.”
Senator Aisha said the priority of the Ministry towards actualizing the theme of this year’s celebration is passing into Law the National Disability Bill which she said will ensure and strengthen the full implementation of the provisions of the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with Disability.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Bar. Nwokedi in her opening remarks said this year’s celebration of the International Day of persons living with Disabilities aimed at showcasing and celebrating their contributions in Nigeria as agent of change and development.
She pointed that the country has about 19 Million persons living with one form of deformity or the other hence our ability to take care of the vulnerable determines how well our country provides for the needs of its citizenry.
