Politics
THE Center for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) says economic empowerment remains crucial for the inclusion and acceleration of progress for women and girls with disabilities.
Mr Godwin Unumeri, CCD Acting Executive Director, said this on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to commemorate the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD).
According to Unumeri, women and girls with disabilities face compounded challenges that increase their vulnerability, hence economic empowerment is a veritable tool that can accelerate and inspire inclusion for them.
“As the world commemorates IWD, CCD underscores the critical importance of prioritising the rights, inclusion, and empowerment of women and girls with disabilities.
“The voices and needs of women and girls with disabilities need to be heard and prioritised in the development and implementation of policies and programmes across various sectors.
“Women and girls with disabilities face compounded challenges due to the intersection of gender and disability, leading to heightened vulnerability to violence, social exclusion, and limited access to opportunities.
“Economic empowerment is crucial for their autonomy and well-being to eliminate or reduce these barriers and ensure inclusion and contribution to national development”, he said.
Unumeri also advocated for access to employment opportunities, entrepreneurship support, vocational training programmes and start-up grants tailored to the needs of women and girls with disabilities.
He appealed to the government and stakeholders to eliminate barriers to financial inclusion, such as limited access to credit facilities and financial services for the benefits of women and girls with disabilities.
He also called for gender and disability to be mainstreamed in all government policies and programmes, adding that all barriers impeding the inclusion of girls and women with disabilities should be eliminated.
According to him,there is need for concerted efforts towards a more inclusive and equitable society where every individual, regardless of gender or disability status can thrive.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the group to continue to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities as essential components of sustainable development.
NAN reports that IWD is celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in women’s rights movement, focusing on issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
The global observance has “Invest in women: Accelerate progress” as the theme of the 2024 celebration. (NAN)
9th March, 2024.
C.E.
Tags: CCD
