Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd, a London and Abuja based publisher of professional books and peer-reviewed academic journals, in conjunction with The News Chronicle, an online Newspaper, on Monday; hosted Dr. Halima Aliyu Doma in a book presentation which focused on how law can improve the plights of persons with disabilities.
In the meeting, which was held virtually, Dr Halima, a lecturer of law at Nassarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria, expounded on her newly published book – Human Rights and Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria: Laws, Policies and Institutions.
The Don, who shared riveting insight about the book, averred that “I have written this book to emphasize the importance of human rights in the specific context of disability and the extent to which law can improve the plights of persons with disabilities.”
While noting that Nigeria is a signatory to various international treaties and domestic regulations, which necessitate the protection and promotion of the rights and interests of persons with disabilities, Halima stated that “evidence suggests that the vast majority of disabled persons in Nigeria are poor and unable to access important public services and opportunities including education, healthcare and employment”.
Delineating on her summations, she quipped that “With an estimated 25 million disabled persons in Nigeria, about one in every eight Nigerians live with at least one form of disorder,” adding that “The World Bank estimates that approximately one billion people or 15% of the world’s population have a disability and 80% of these people live in developing countries”.
She explained that disability may occur as a result of various factors ranging from malnutrition, disease, environmental hazards, natural disasters, traffic and industrial accidents, civil conflicts and wars. “Also, some disabilities are as a result of medical negligence, while others are due to birth defects,” she added.
In her words, disabilities are not ascribed to a particular class, gender or religion, emphasizing in strong terms that “anybody can be a victim anytime.
Halima stated that in the eight-chapter book, she x-rayed the conceptual foundation of disability; history, types and models of disability; legal framework on the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria; institutional framework for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria; human rights through the lens of disability; and challenges of protecting and enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
She canvassed “for a holistic protection of the rights of persons with disabilities with special consideration given to the unique vulnerability of women, children and the elderly”.
The meeting, moderated by Adonis and Abbey, The News Chronicle’s Business Development Executive, Timilaemi Deinanaghan, had dignitaries from different walks of the society in attendance.
