Members of Deaf Women Association of Nigeria, DWAN, has beseeched the Federal Government, FG, to begin review of Disability Act.
This was even as the group specifically called on FG to consider it a developmental process by ensuring sign language interpreters and signages are found in public places.
National President, DWAN, Hellen Anurika Beyioku-Alase stated this at the 13th Annual General Meeting and National Deaf Women Summit, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Beyioku-Alase bemoaned the discrimination, gender-based violence and poor access to medical facilities as a result of communication gaps experienced by members of the association.
She said: “Discrimination, gender-based violence and poor access remain big snares against us. Till date, our members and deaf women in general face violence and subjugation from men, discrimination in employment, zero/poor access to health care, education, public women-centered policies which can better the life of less-privileged deaf women hidden everywhere in the nation. We are compassed about but we shall not be discouraged.
“We see a future where deaf women are liberated and empowered to live with dignity and excel in their chosen paths towards achieving equality for deaf women in all spheres of human endeavour’’.
She, therefore, stated that the AGM summit would create massive awareness as well as build capacity and establish synergy with relevant organisations to address the issues of marginalisation, among other forms of discrimination.
Also speaking, the National Secretary General, NSG, Damilare Olakulehin said that the government must step into the matters of PWDs, stating that the National Assembly should as a matter of urgency ensure that deaf women are rightly represented.
Commending the President Mohammadu Buhari for assenting to the Disability Law, Olakulehin said that the review of the disability Act has become imperative due to the fact that many organisations have not started to adhere to what the law entails.
“The reason why we need a review is because many organizations have not followed what is in that law and the disability bill supports access to health care services. Show me which one hospital has a sign language interpreter in Nigeria.
“They also gave slots for employment for persons with disabilities so the review of this bill would force every agency of government to implement what is in that law. For example in America, they have the power to sue those that do not have a sign language interpreter but in Nigeria there is nothing of such”, she lamented.
