By Emma Okereh
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has enjoined public and private sectors to ensure full implementation and adherence to legal framework and policies put in place to promote accessibility and equal participation of persons with disabilities in the workplace and life.
This was just as the Commission also called on the government to ensure that disability interests are mainstreamed into the newly approved National Development Plan 2021 – 2025 to ensure inclusiveness and that no one is left behind.
This, the Commission noted, will enhance the enjoyment of human rights as provided in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 as well as other human rights instruments.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Barr Tony Ojukwu stated this in commemoration of the 2021 International Day of Persons with Disabilities which comes up on 3rd of December yearly. He stated that the celebration brings to the fore, the challenges faced by persons with special needs.
“This year’s theme which focuses on “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world” is geared towards promoting the importance of inclusion and accessibility in every sphere”, Ojukwu added.
He observed that in the post COVID-19 era, the society is expected to embrace inclusion of disability in all spaces to eliminate old societal/behavioural practices inimical to health and the principle of equal opportunity.
The NHRC boss opined that for Persons with disabilities to function effectively in the post COVID-19 world, deliberate efforts ought to be made by stakeholders to ensure equal space in decision making, politics, sports, leadership, ICT, etc.
“Full participation of this vulnerable group in societal affairs could be enhanced by creating an accessible environment and structures such as sign language interpreters, ramps, braille signage, lifts, Digital Accessibility Tools for e-inclusion such as electronic brail, etc.”, he stated.
