DISABILITY RIGHT BILL (AROME DANIEL IBRAHIM)

Before Intervention: (The Position of Persons living with Disabilities in Kogi State before the Disability Right Bill)

Persons living with disabilities in Kogi State were neglected and stigmatized. They also didn’t know their rights due to the absence of the Disability Rights Bill.

What the Disability Rights Law has achieved.

Since the disability Right Bill was signed into law, there has been positive change in the way People with Disabilities are treated in the society especially since discrimination now constitutes an offence.

The Leprosy Mission Nigeria educated them on their right as persons with disability and empowered them through capacity building workshops and skill acquisitions training (such as bead making, shoe making, farming and tailoring). The Rights-Based Approaches encourages people with disability to always demand their rights and participate in advocacy on behalf of members of their various association.

Arome Daniel Ibrahim is a 35year old person with disability and the current Chairman, Association of People with Disability Kogi State. He has benefitted immensely from these workshops.

“On behalf of persons with disability in Kogi State, we want to thank God for sending TLMN to rescue the  association and we have been given voice in the society, some our members through the support from TLMN has established petty trading, supporting their families, no stigmatization and discrimination  from members of the society, TLMN came to rescue the members,  May God almighty bless  TLMN”.

CHALLENGES

According to Arome, their major challenge currently is the implementation of the Disability Rights Bill in the State and the capacity for accurate data collection and collation of People with Disabilities in Kogi State, Nigeria.