Odunmakin Joins Campaign to Sensitize 100million Nigerians on Disabled Rights

Odunmakin Joins Campaign to Sensitize 100million Nigerians on Disabled Rights

Solomon Elusoji

Rights activist and President of the Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin has been appointed as the Chairman, Board of Advisors of Project Enable Africa, a not for profit initiate with primary focus on the empowerment of persons with disabilities.

The Project Director of the initiative, Mr. Olusola Owonikoko who made the announcement when he led his team to the National Secretariat, Women Arise, in Lagos, to render account of stewardship, said Okei-Odumakin would lead the project designed to empower 100 million Nigerians with increased knowledge and understanding of the disability rights and the legal provision.

Speaking on the forthcoming project launch called #FollowDisAct, slated for Thursday, 5th of September, Owonikoko lauded the sacrifices and immeasurable contributions of Okei-Odumakin, saying her leverage and goodwill coupled with the grace of Almighty have brought the NGO to its present pedestal.

Giving details on the campaign, Owonikoko said The Follow DisACT Project was designed with the aim of monitoring, tracking, reporting and driving the implementation of the newly assented Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill, 2018.

“The Bill was recently passed into law in January, 2019 as a federal legal framework that promotes the social inclusion of persons with disabilities across all sectors and levels in the society.

“The Follow DisACT Campaign (coined from Follow the ‘Discrimination Act), has been designed as a 5-year campaign project to coordinate a national effort to push for the full implementation of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibitions) Act,” he said.

He said the campaign would be implemented at national level, across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

He said: “The goal of the campaign is to drive and catalyse the implementation of the newly assented Disability Act across Nigeria, while monitoring and reporting the progress of the Act and engaging all stakeholders from the private, public and civil society sectors.

“Our approach is largely community-driven. The goal of the campaign is to strengthen the community of persons with disabilities and promote the monitoring, tracking, and reporting of the implementation of the Nigerian Disability Act. This goal will be achieved by strengthening the community of persons with disabilities and promoting their understanding of the provisions of the Nigeria Disability Act, while sensitising the society of the legal framework protecting disability rights in Nigeria through the mass media.

“In addition, adequate monitoring, tracking, and report progress in the implementation of the disability bill through a dedicated PWD desk that will produce regular reports. We will be hosting six stakeholders
fora within one year, towards engaging with various stakeholders, including labour, traditional, media, religious, private sectors, etc., on the need for a socially inclusive society and services.”

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