Government officials, civil society organisations and disability advocates have thrown their weight behind a new gender-responsive initiative by the Women Information Network (WINET) aimed at advancing the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and promoting inclusive governance in Enugu State.
The one-year project, “Breaking Barriers to Disability Rights: A Gender Responsive Approach,” is funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).
It seeks to strengthen implementation of the Enugu State Discrimination Against Persons with Disability (Prohibition) Law 2023 and improve public awareness of disability rights across the state.
Speaking at the project launch in Enugu, WINET Executive Director, Mrs. Miriam Menkiti, said the initiative would empower persons with disabilities especially women and girls to understand, exercise and defend their rights through advocacy, institutional capacity building, community sensitisation and mass media engagement.
She explained that the project is expected to deepen collaboration between government institutions and disability stakeholders while encouraging the meaningful participation of PWDs in governance and democratic processes.
According to Menkiti, the intervention will be implemented in Enugu North, Nkanu West and Udi Local Government Areas.
Planned activities include a baseline assessment of awareness of the state disability law and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), advocacy visits to key ministries and agencies, leadership training for officials of the Enugu State Disability Commission and the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), community training programmes, radio phone-in discussions and an endline assessment.
She added that WINET has developed simplified versions of the Enugu disability law and the CRPD, alongside a training manual titled Inclusive Democracy in Action to support disability rights education.
Performing the official unveiling of the project, the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development in Enugu State, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, represented by Director Esther Mbah, described the initiative as a significant step towards building a more inclusive society.
She noted that persons with disabilities continue to encounter barriers in accessing healthcare, education, employment and justice, while women and girls with disabilities often face compounded discrimination because of both gender and disability.
Chairman of the Enugu State Disability Commission, Mr. Jude Eze, represented by Mrs. Juliet Owonta, called for a transition from charity to a rights-based approach, stressing that persons with disabilities should be empowered to participate fully in decisions affecting their lives.
He disclosed that the commission is engaging relevant government agencies to implement the state’s five per cent employment provision for qualified persons with disabilities.
