On 24th May, 2022, The Advocacy for Women with Disability Initiative (AWWDI) in conjunction with The Nigerian Women Trust Fund held a capacity building for women and women with disabilities in FCT.
The workshop which was funded by Ford Foundation was geared towards mobilizing women, young girls and girls with disabilities, and integrating the network group system already in use in several states like Nasarawa where AWWDI is well established.
The discourse also resolved around creating an AWWDI Mentorship of Young girls with disabilities into leadership positions, while equipping them with the skills to better advocate for their rights.
The conference received girl students participants from the National Association of Female students, as well as notable stakeholders such as the United Nations Population Fund Agency (UNFPA), The National Human Rights Commission, and the Executive Director of the Abiodun Essiet Initiative For Girls (AEIG).
The facilitator, Kolawole Jayeoba gave an introductory remark about the workshop and a summary of what AWWDI has been doing to advocate for women and girls with disabilities.
He emphasized on the system of self-help groups which has grown to an established source of providing reliable data and reaching out to disabled persons in the grassroots.
He restated the objective of the workshop as integrating the self-help group system to include young girls with and without disabilities.
Giving the first speech, The country representative of the UNFPA – Dr. Zubaida Abubakar who was unavoidably absent and represented by Mrs. Wunmi Akande.
He congratulated AWWDI for her unrelenting advocacy drive for women and girls with disability and the Nigeria Women Trust Fund for putting together this mentorship and capacity building Training.
While recognizing that women generally are placed at a disadvantageous position, he noted those with disabilities are even more faced with societal difficulties.
He noted that for there to be equality for persons with disabilities, all relevant stakeholders must collectively stake their voice and synergy in the advocacy.
Finally, he established UNFPA’s unwavering support and commitment towards addressing the diverse needs of young women and girls with disabilities with her three-fold objectives which include: to end maternal deaths, end unmet need for family planning and end GBV and harmful traditional practices.
The country representative further implored the young girls at the training to maximize the opportunity.
Immediately following was a feedback report from the state coordinator of Nasarawa AWWDI forum on the progress and operations of the self-help groups in the State.
She mentioned among other things, the commitment of the women and girls and seamless bond and connection among the women, as well as, the skill acquisition programs and workshops for their members.
Furthermore, Executive Secretary of The National Human Rights Commission who was heavily represented by a member of the commission’s Vulnerable Groups department commended AWWDI’s mentorship initiative.
Her representative was quick to address the inferiority complex using herself as an example. She encouraged the participants to remain bold and true to their dreams irrespective of societal’ cultural imbalances. She further explained the work the commission has been doing in driving advocacy in Kuchiko and other primitive areas in the FCT. She again restated the commission’s commitment and support for AWWDI’S vision and programs.
AWWDI ED, Mrs. Patience Ogolo
It was at this point that DG of AWWDI – Mrs. Patience Ogolo appreciated the speakers, further asserting the organization’s new focus on young girls and girls with disabilities.
This focus was based on the need to have a younger generation who will in the coming years take over the leadership of the organization and keep pace with the advocacy in Nigeria and across borders.
She pointed out the goal to form a movement that would catch both young secondary school girls and University girls living with disabilities, while also using her story to reaffirm the position that investing in the education of girls with disability is not a waste.
At the tail of the workshop was the last speech by Mrs. Abidon Essiet – The Executive Director of the Abiodun Essiet Initiative For Girls (AEIG). She spoke at length, with soothing words of encouragement touching different legs such as sexual violence against women with Disability. She challenged the girls and women to develop other areas of there lives and utilize the potential in them, resting on the words that “there is ability in every disability”.
Mrs Essiet also encouraged the girls not to be limited by what the society feels about them. She also emphasized the need to have people in governance who are concerned with women with disability. She further addressed the inclusion of women with disability in Politics and leadership, with her suggestion to allocate at least 5% from the 35% allocated for women by the new Act. We concluded with the words that the world has grown beyond gender equality to intersectionality.