The Cedar Seed Foundation, an organisation fighting for the rights of People Living with Disability (PWDs) has asked government at all levels and other players to ensure proper inclusion of disable persons. The foundation also criticized Nigerian society for creating unlivable aura for their members.
The event was jointly organised by Centre for Democracy and Development (CDC), Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD) and Centre for Citizens with Disability.
While lamenting some of the challenges confronting persons living with disability, Founder of Cedar Seed Foundation Lois Auta said, “Lack of access to public infrastructures, public policies, employment, education, transport system, ICT infrastructure, housing, health care delivery and electoral system were part of the challenges. Nigerian society continues to view disabilities issue from a social welfare perspective, merely confirming PWDs to individuals seeking for just basic needs of life. But truths be told, we are simply tired of the charity model. We want the social model.”
It is important that every single person living with disability is properly included either in the environmental plan, financial or in governance to give them a sense of belonging for Director, Centre for Democracy and Development. It is also important that government know the diversity of people living with disability, bearing in mind that it is a priority for all the Nigerians that the country can not achieve the much talked about MDGs without proper inclusions of persons living with disability.
The event which was organised in commemoration of the 2017 international day of Persons Living with Disability also brought together various government agencies, international organisations among others.
