Group advocates sexual, reproductive rights for women, girls with disabilities in Nasarawa

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By Muhammed Ogwu, Lafia

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Advocacy for Women With Disabilities Initiative, has called for the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls with disabilities across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State.

Our correspondent reports that AWWDI is carrying out the advocacy campaign in conjunction with other NGOs including HiVOS People Unlimited, and WE Lead.

The Programme Manager of the group, Kola Jayeoba made the appeal during a meeting engagement held in Lafia, the State capital, adding that their rights should be respected that way it has been globally recognized.

He stated that the rights of the vulnerable persons in the state has been consistently abused, saying this one of the reasons the advocacy campaign is being carried out in the to tackle the discrimination.

He, however, attest to the fact that the Nasarawa State government had domesticated the Disability Act in the state, but expressed deep concern in-spite the efforts of the government, persons with disabilities were still facing enormous challenges in the state.

He, however, warned the general public especially the health workers to stop disrespect their sexual and reproductive health rights, nothing that they also have the same feelings as the people without disabilities.

“The sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls with disabilities is what has been globally recognized. So, Persons with disabilities should have access to the hospital. They should also have access to the services in the hospital.

“They should be able to have access to medical practitioners like those without disabilities. They should have access to contraceptives. So, what we are advocating for is that there should be no form of discrimination,” he lamented.

Jayeoba called on Journalists to always help in reporting the challenges being faced by women and girls with disabilities in the state in order to attract the attention of the government both at the state and local government levels.

Earlier, the Nasarawa State Coordinator of Advocacy for Women With Disabilities Initiative, Asaba Aversion, explained that overtime, women with disabilities had been left neglected and are not carrying along on the happenings in the society owing to the fact nobody to speak for them and in some cases they speak for themselves.

She, therefore, expressed optimism that with media engagement, Journalists would help in amplifying their voices to make their challenges known to the government and good-spirited individuals in the society.