The ECOWAS Commission has called on member states to establish a commission for People With Disabilities (PWDs) in order to foster their inclusion in policymaking and execution.
The President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, said this at the capacity building workshop for PWDs in Abuja on Wednesday as part of activities to observe the International Day of Disabled Persons.
The ECOWAS President, represented by the ECOWAS Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Dr Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, called on stakeholders to ensure the inclusion of PWDs in every sphere of society.
He said disability inclusion, which was validated in April 2022 by experts in disability inclusion across West Africa outlined, concrete actions to be taken by the ECOWAS Commission and its 15 Member States to ensure disability inclusion in the region.
- Atiku: Peace will return to Yobe if you vote for me
- Seun Kuti Vs Peter Okoye: Don’t use me as tool of insult, says Made Kuti
“It is our hope that we jointly find solutions and innovations for a more inclusive society. The multidimensional and multilayered nature of disability demands collective responsibility and accountability.
“The Commission, therefore, calls upon all stakeholders and government ministries, agencies and development partners, to work together to make a positive difference in the lives of persons with disabilities and their families,” he said.
On her part, the Minister for Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, said protecting the rights of PWDs is not only just but an investment for the future.
“Disability inclusion is an essential condition to upholding human rights, sustainable development, peace and security.
“It is also central to the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to leave no one behind. The commitment to realizing the rights of persons with disabilities is not only a matter of justice but an investment in a common future.
“The complex and interconnected crises facing humanity today, including the shocks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and other countries including the climate change problem continues to pose humanitarian challenges of an unprecedented nature to the global economy as well as threats to the PWDs.
“As a Ministry charged with the mandate of promoting women’s well-being, the rights of women and girls with disabilities drive part of our work to ensure the achievement and their full inclusion in society on an equal basis with others,” she noted.
