Lagos, March 8, 2025 – The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has called for urgent and decisive action to promote gender equality and empower women and girls with disabilities in Nigeria. Marking the 2025 International Women’s Day under the theme “Accelerate Action for Gender Equality,” the organization emphasized the need for inclusive policies and programs that address the unique challenges faced by women with disabilities.

Despite global and national legal frameworks, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Nigeria’s Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, CCD noted that women and girls with disabilities continue to face systemic barriers. These include limited access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, as well as heightened risks of gender-based violence and social exclusion.

Challenges Facing Women and Girls with Disabilities

Women with disabilities experience multiple layers of marginalization, CCD said, pointing out that they are disproportionately affected by gender-based violence. Studies show that they are at a higher risk of sexual abuse and face significant obstacles in accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare services. Additionally, many are excluded from leadership, decision-making, and political participation, limiting their ability to advocate for their rights and influence policies that affect their lives.

CCD highlighted that without urgent intervention, Nigeria risks failing to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030.

Calls for Immediate Action

In response, CCD outlined several priority areas where swift action is needed to close the gender gap and promote the inclusion of women and girls with disabilities:

Disability-Inclusive Policies – National policies must recognize and address the specific needs of women with disabilities, ensuring their full inclusion in gender equality programs.

Access to Education – Investments in inclusive education, such as accessible school infrastructure and adaptive learning materials, are necessary to bridge the educational divide.

Economic Empowerment – Women with disabilities should have equal access to employment, leadership roles, and vocational training, particularly in business and STEM fields.

Infrastructure Development – Public and private infrastructure projects must consider accessibility for people with disabilities to ensure their full participation in society.

Healthcare Access – Governments and health institutions should provide inclusive sexual and reproductive health services to women and girls with disabilities.

Representation in Politics and Leadership – More women with disabilities should be included in governance, policy-making, and decision-making processes.

A Call to Action

CCD urged the government, private sector, and development partners to take concrete steps in ensuring that women and girls with disabilities are not left behind. The organization emphasized that achieving gender equality requires a collective effort to break down barriers, eliminate discrimination, and create an inclusive society where every woman and girl can thrive.

“The time for action is now,” said CCD’s Acting Director, Godwin Unumeri. “We must work together to build a society that is inclusive, accessible, and empowering for all, regardless of gender or disability.”

As the world marks International Women’s Day 2025, CCD calls on stakeholders to turn commitments into action, ensuring that women and girls with disabilities can fully participate and contribute to national development.

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