Network of Women with Disabilities (NWD), UN Women and other stakeholders have organised a joint symposium to advocate prevention of violence against persons with disabilities (PWDs) and other special needs groups in Nigeria
The event was organised to commemorate 2023 16 Days of Activism. The theme for this year is “unite! Invest to prevent violence against Women & Girls.” While the theme focuses on investments and financing of strategies and programmes that will help prevent violence from taking place against Women and Girls, Special Needs Groups especially women Living with HIV, Disability and elderly women experience violence differently, because of their vulnerabilities and special needs.
INN reports that these violence ranges from physical, sexual, maltreatment, abandonment, emotional, and psychological leading to grave consequences and sometime mortality.
UN Women has collaborated with Network of Women with Disabilities, UNAIDS, Association of Women Living with Hiv/aids in Nigeria (ASWHAN), National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and Concerned Mothers to tackle multiple-forms of vulnerability and violence through increased political will and funding mechanisms.
The event was organised with the objective of giving these special needs groups the opportunity to share their experiences, and demand for increased prevention, intervention, and response.
INN reports that Network of Women with Disabilities as one of the stakeholders mobilized 15 women with disabilities from different clusters and their assistants. Other key stakeholders include National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Budget and Economy Planning, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and all of them attended the great event.