The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), South-South Zone, has called on the federal, state and local governments to take urgent steps to address the hardship faced by persons with visual disabilities, especially women and girls.
The association said persons with visual impairments continue to experience discrimination, exclusion and poverty due to weak implementation of disability policies and insufficient commitment to inclusion.
The call was made in a statement jointly signed by the South-South Zonal Vice Chairperson, Stella Macaulay, and the Zonal Secretary, Eunice Emeyazia, to commemorate the 2026 World Braille Day.
NAWOJ urged governments to provide adequate and sustained funding for the production of Braille textbooks and learning materials in public schools, particularly at the basic and secondary education levels. It also called for the mandatory installation of Braille signage and accessible information systems in public buildings, hospitals, courts and transportation facilities.
The association further demanded the training and recruitment of teachers and public servants skilled in Braille and inclusive communication, as well as the implementation of targeted educational, vocational and economic empowerment programmes for women and girls with visual impairments.
NAWOJ also called for strict enforcement of disability laws, including penalties for institutions that fail to meet accessibility standards, and urged stronger collaboration with civil society and disability-focused organisations.
“Inclusion should not be treated as charity but as justice. A nation that excludes persons with disabilities undermines its own social and economic development.
Accessibility is not optional; it is a responsibility,” the statement read.
The association noted that despite the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, many public institutions across Nigeria still lack Braille materials, trained personnel and accessible communication systems, a situation it said weakens the country’s commitment to equality and inclusive development.
Marking World Braille Day 2026 with the theme “Braille as a Tool for Inclusion, Education, and Equality,” NAWOJ urged governments to move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate commitment through concrete actions, stressing that nothing about persons with disabilities should be decided without their involvement.
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