September 2022
Since the passage of the Disability Rights Law in Anambra State in 2018, efforts have been made to create awareness, and increase the understanding of the law by institutions, organisations and individuals. For instance, the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) in the state, with the support of RoLAC, engaged in advocacy visits to private and public organisations to increase the visibility of the law and give recognition to the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs) as contained in the law. As a result, some institutions like the National Human Rights Commission, the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, and Anambra State Health Insurance Agency established dedicated desks for handling PWD issues.
Despite these efforts an assessment recently carried out by JONAPWD revealed that the knowledge of the law and its contents is still very low among PWDs and the public. This has greatly affected the speedy implementation of the law.
To address this, JONAPWD translated the Disability Right Law into Igbo and Pidgin and made them available in simplified and accessible formats. Over 1,000 copies of the abridged versions were shared with the public. An additional 500 audio versions in each language were distributed on USB branded scan disks to the disability community. It is hoped that these tools will create a better understanding and increase awareness about the law among the disability community and mobilise support for its speedy implementation.
"With the Anambra State Disability Rights Law, no matter who we are or where we come from or the nature of our disabilities, we are now entitled to basic human rights."
Ikele Chinenye, Member, JONAPWD, Anambra State Chapter
