PLWDs demand access to quality healthcare, reproductive rights

Disturbed over the poor treatment meted out on Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) especially in health facilities in the country, the Disability Right Advocacy Centre (DRAC), has said women and girls with disabilities have a right to quality health care and also have reproductive rights.

Executive Director DRAC, Dr Irene Patrick-Ogbogu who made this known during a media training on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Women and Girls living with Disabilities in Abuja, lamented that the sexuality of these special group of persons were being looked down upon.

While stressing that disability does not in any way affect sexual expressions, she stressed on the need for the rights of PLWDs to be respected, they should be treated with dignity as human beings, be included in the day to day activities especially in any decision making process that concerns them and have access to medical facilities and information.

In her words: “There are barriers to sexual expressions of persons living with disabilities, particularly women with disabilities, these are not due to impairment but rather informed misconceptions that PWD are asexual, incapable of fulfilling the roles of wives and mothers.

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“But the Article 23 of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Right for Women and Girls with Disabilities has reqiure states to eliminate discrimination against PWD in all matters relating to marriage, family, parenthood and relationship including in the areas of family planning, fertility and family life.

Irene who further raised concerns that children with disabilities have become high targets for sexual abuse due to limited and weak defenses, further listed other forms of barriers affecting PLWDs to include; institutional barrier, attitudinal barrier,physical barrier and communication barrier, raised concerns.