Five years following the enactment of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act by the Federal Government, a recent report reveals that 17 out of the 36 states in Nigeria have not yet implemented the Disability Act.
Conducted by Agora Policy, a Nigerian think tank and non-profit organization dedicated to offering practical solutions to pressing national issues, the report sheds light on the status of the Disability Act implementation.
The Act, signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, forbids any form of discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
Agora Policy specializes in policy research, fostering open and purposeful discussions, and enhancing governance, policy, and advocacy capacities.
Despite the enactment of the Disability Act, stakeholders are urging the government to address gaps in disability data and combat discrimination against People With Disabilities.
The report emphasizes the urgency for the Federal Government to address these issues across Nigeria.
It highlights that the Disability Act has been adopted by only 19 out of the 36 states in the country. Consequently, the Act holds legal validity solely in these 19 states.
Among the states that have incorporated the Act are Lagos, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, and Enugu.
However, the report underscores that Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the remaining 17 states lack legal protection against discrimination.
Last year, the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities emphasized that Nigerian states that have not yet domesticated the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act should do so promptly, given that four years have passed since the law was enacted at the national level.
David Anyaele, the Executive Director of CCD, reiterated this call to action.
“We are calling on Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Imo, Ogun, Osun, Katsina, Kebbi, Gombe, Rivers, Taraba, and Yobe governments to demonstrate that the lives of persons with disabilities matter by adopting the National Disability Law.”
The Agora Policy report sheds light on the alarming reality that Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) encounter substantial discrimination, stemming from the pervasive societal prejudice of ableism. This bias prioritizes physical abilities, perpetuating inequality.
To combat this, the report presents a multi-faceted approach, comprising measures to bridge data gaps, raise awareness, and enhance knowledge. Furthermore, it urges states to adopt the Disability Act, ensuring its effective implementation.
Ultimately, the report advocates for collaborative efforts with organizations representing PWDs and civil society to devise a comprehensive action plan, paving the way for greater inclusivity.
It further detailed, “The National Bureau of Statistics and other critical stakeholders should address the data gap by ensuring robust disaggregation based on the number of PWDs per location, demographic distribution, type of disabilities, and specific needs.”
The report stressed the necessity of enforcing the Disability Act at every level, observing that although the Act contains measures to safeguard the rights of Persons with Disabilities and penalize offenders, discrimination cases are seldom prosecuted despite these protections.
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