Yemi Obafemi
The European Union has expressed concern over the exclusion of people with disabilities in the development planning process, emphasizing the need to be deliberate about ensuring disability inclusion.
The EU ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Guartier Mignot, stated this during a national dialogue held in Abuja to mark this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Mignot who who was represented by, Head of the Governance, Security, and Migration Section at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ruben Alba Aguilera at the event said over 35 million Nigerians live with disabilities, with 9 out of 10 living below the poverty line.
The event, “Transformative Solutions to Disability-Inclusive Development in Nigeria,” was jointly organized by the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. Notably, the European Union provided support for the event through the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, which is implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
In a statement released on Thursday, European Union urged the Nigerian government ministries, departments, and agencies to fully implement the National Disability Act provisions.
Aguilera said: “People with disabilities are being left behind in development.
“Although inclusion is affirmed in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, many interventions still fail to include people with disabilities. Societal barriers continue to place them at increased risk of violence, poverty, poorer health outcomes, and limited access to education and employment opportunities. This is not inevitable, and we must be deliberate about ensuring disability inclusion.”
According to Aguilera, individuals living with disability face daily struggles, and “it is our collective responsibility to address their challenges,” he added.
Aguilera commended the government for enacting the Disability Rights Law and setting up the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities. However, he emphasized the urgent need for swift implementation to ensure the law’s provisions are fully realized.
“A law is only as effective as its implementation. We cannot rest on our laurels; it is time to act and dedicate sufficient resources to make this law effective,” he said.
The European Union also reaffirmed its dedication to prioritizing the well-being of persons with disabilities in Nigeria
