Inclusive elections: IFA, others develop ‘disability’ manual for INEC

The Inclusive Friends (IFA) has launched a sign Language Interpreters’ Manual as part of efforts to improve participation and accessibility for People Living with Disabilities (PWDs) in the nation’s electoral processes.

IFA, in collaboration with the Nigerian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD) and the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN), also launched and presented a document on the Cost of Accessible Elections in Nigeria and another manual on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) PWD COVID-19 Prevention Protocol to assist INEC to conduct inclusive elections for PWDs.

The Executive Director, IFA, Miss Grace Jerry, speaking at the launch in Abuja, said the manual is designed to bridge the communication gap between the deaf citizens and INEC in the area of sign language interpretation which she said is partially unavailable due to limited sign language interpreters’ education programmes in the country.