By Justina Auta
Coalition of women led disabled persons has sought for inclusive budgeting for sexual and reproductive health rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to enable them to access healthcare services without hindrance.
The coalition, comprising four organisations, made the call during a news conference
on Thursday in Abuja.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the organisations are: Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative (AWWDI) Faecare Foundation and Haly Hope Foundation.
The Executive Director of IFA, Ms Grace Jerry, who spoke on behalf of the coalition, said that the
budget would ensure social inclusion, access to basic healthcare services and facilities, as well as increase awareness about the health status of PWDs, particularly women and girls.
She said “our society has failed to notice that like any other persons, PWDs equally have sexual reproductive health needs. They are infantilised and seen as unfit for marriage or parenting.’’
Jerry, therefore, stressed the need for government to prioritise and ensure inclusive budget that would facilitate the dictates of the National Policy on Reproductive Health Rights of PWDs.
She urged government to “make deliberate efforts to ensure that inclusive budgeting is taken into account to provide access to information of sexual reproductive health and services to cover for all forms of disability.
“The Federal Capital Development Authority must ensure that barriers to accessing healthcare facilities in Abuja are completely eradicated.”
She also urged National Orientation Agency (NOA), civil society organisations and the media to ensure mainstreaming of the sexual reproductive health rights of PWDs and violation of their rights were punishable under the law.
The director added that “looking at our healthcare system, doctors who are supposed to attend to the daily needs of PWDs, their sexual and reproductive health rights are clueless as to what to do.’’
She explained that inclusive budgeting would enable health workers to be trained adequately for better communication with PWDs and increased access to their health needs.
The Programme Officer of AWWDI, Mr Kola Jayeoba, stressed the need to stop all forms of discrimination against PWDs, as well as change mentality while relating with them.
He said “we should have a change of mentality toward persons with disabilities, most especially women, when they go to health facilities.
“If a doctor does not know how to attend to a woman with disability, how will he/her prepare a budget that will be inclusive?,” he asked.
He, therefore, urged ministries and hospitals to create a special place for persons with disabilities.
The Project Coordinator of IFA, Miss Janice Malachi, added that inclusive budgets would make hospitals more accessible to PWDs, as well as address the challenges of sexual based violence meted on them.
Malachi, while explaining that PWDs were also vulnerable and victims of sexual abuse and violence, urged government to proffer solutions that would end the menace. (NAN)
Credit: NAN
