Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
A team of twelve lawyers will be spearheading the battle against disability rights abuse and other practices infringing the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Anambra State.
This was made known on Wednesday, during a one-day sensitisation and awareness workshop on legal rights of persons with disabilities in the state.
The programme was organised by the Anambra State Disability Rights Commission (ASDRC), with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) under its Phase II programme funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA) in Nigeria.
Anambra State RoLAC Coordinator, Josephine Onah, who disclosed this at the event, said the legal experts have undergone training through the support of her organisation and would function as the legal department of the State Disability Rights Commission.
According to Onah, the legal experts will play a crucial role in defending the rights of individuals with disabilities and ensure their protection under the Disability Rights Law enacted in the state in 2018.
She said the move is geared towards operationalisation of the disability law and to combat the systemic issues of discrimination and mistreatment faced by PWDs in the state.
Onah said: “The Disability Rights was signed into law in Anambra State in 2018 and the State Disability Commission created later in 2022, but the legal services unit of the Commission had not been activated. Consequently, many PWDs are still clueless on what to do about their rights even in the face of denial and discrimination.
“There is demand to see Disability Rights Law being implemented because it is specifically targeted at human rights. We, as an organization, have conceived to take out any form of barrier or gap created in respect to people seeking redress when their rights are trampled upon.”
Onah further said with the capacity building of the lawyers, they would render their services to the PWDs on pro bono basis to all the members of every disability cluster in the state.
Corroborating, Chairman of the Anambra State Disability Rights Commission (ASDRC), Barr Chuks Ezewuzie, said that the 12 lawyers have been trained and have returned to Anambra to enforce the law.
Ezewuzie explained that one of the stipulations in the disability law required his Commission to have a strong legal department to oversee implementation. He commended RoLAC for the support to establish the department, which, he said, now offers free legal assistance to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the state. He further encouraged PWDs to take advantage of the opportunity, speak up, and seek justice in cases of discrimination or infringement of their rights.
In a remark, Commissioner for Special Duties, Mrs Beverly Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche, expressed the government’s willingness to support the initiatives of the Disability Commission and RoLAC, and encouraged continued collaboration to address any challenges faced by PWDs in the state.
Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, stressed the significance of proper law implementation and vowed to step down the training to the entire disability community in the state.
Conveying her gratitude, Aisha Maduagwu, the National Coordinator for Persons Living with Sickle Cell Anaemia, advocated the continuous cooperation needed to address challenges faced by vulnerable groups in the state.
Chairman of the Anambra State Association of the Deaf, Ndubeze Ezemba, and JONAPWD Woman Leader, Comrade Ncheta Nwanokwara, commended RoLAC’s work and affirmed the association’s commitment to engaging with the law to tackle societal issues effectively.
Ben Orizu of the State Albinism Association and Ernest Okammelu of the Association of the Blind recognised the challenges faced by the Albinism community. They pledged to work closely with the appointed lawyers to drive tangible change in the state.
Ikengaonline reports that the participants were drilled on the operationalisation of the various sections and subsections of the disability law with regards to seeking redress as well as revenue windows and personal income derivable from the law.
