Group Seek PWDs Inclusion in Climate Change Conversation

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A Civil Society Organisation under the aegis of Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI), has urged the government to ensure Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) are represented and included in the conversation, discussion and intervention focusing on the impacts of climate change in Nigeria.

The group made this demand yesterday, during a briefing to unveil a research publication titled: “Narrative Change around Disability and Climate Change,” held in Port Harcourt.

Presenting the report, Executive Director of MAJI, Mr. Onyekachi Okoro, noted that people living with disabilities are severely affected by climate change at the communities.

He said: “This scenario is particularly worse for women and children with disabilities. Very often, PWDs suffers psychological traumas due to the neglect and other discriminatory actions from family members, command other social structures at the community, state and national levels of governance.

“There is social disparity among persons with disabilities, unequal support, lack of adequate attention and uneven distribution of public wealth and lack of implementation of policies by the government at all levels.”

To achieve the PWDs inclusion in decision making, Okoro urged “government and other key stakeholders to prioritise initiatives that underline the intersectionality of climate change and disability justice.

“Build the capacity and knowledge base of persons living with disabilities to create new narratives for disability rights in Nigeria,” adding that “the 36 states of the federation should as matter of urgency domesticate and ensure implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disability Act.”

 On his part, Chairman of Joint National Association of Persons With Disability in Rivers State, Mr. Kie Obomanu, noted that they are worse hit by the effects of climate change in the various communities.

Obomanu who led his members to the programme, said with implementation of the law discrimination against persons with disability Act, it will criminalise segregation and those who refused to abide by the law.

He said: “We have a lot of provisions in the National Disability Act 2018, we also have the Rivers State disability welfare enhancement law of 2011. When the law is implemented all the provisions will be needed. For instance, accessibility, mainstreaming of disability matters in policy directives, employment, transportation, others.”

Speaking further Obomanu stressed that “our means of livelihood are negatively affected by climate change. Our places of abode are all impacted, we are at the bottom.

“So anything that affects people in the society affects us ten times more, climate change has affected us adversely. Oil companies are flaring gas which is also contributing to greenhouse emission. All hands must be on deck in making sure that issues regarding PWDs are given priority attention.”