The National Human Rights Commission is established to create an enabling environment for the promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights including the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
For us at the Commission, issues of disability are at the front burner which has culminated to the creation of a Vulnerable Groups Department to oversee issues bordering on disability, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
The Commission pledges publicly, its commitment to the following and has taken further steps in reiterating its commitment to prioritizing disability rights and mental health in the following areas:
Combating stigma and raising awareness on disability rights and mental health.
The Commission embarked on a field visit to the Disability Colony, Karamajiji, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria on Wednesday, 18th August, 2021 to create awareness on the rights of persons with disabilities and sensitize the different clusters of persons with disabilities in the colony on their rights as well as how to seek redress for any human rights violation bordering on discrimination/stigmatization etc. Some of the human rights issues observed in the colony include:
- Inaccessible healthcare especially for women with disabilities and ordeals at the health centres to access paypoints and collection centres such as pharmacy, accounts, laboratories etc. which are not accessible.
- Constant harassment, confiscation of wheelchairs and detention of pwds in an un-conducive cells by the Abuja Environmental Protection Agency.
The Commission is working closely with the Federal Capital Territory Administration to protect and enforce the rights of pwds. The Commission is also working towards ensuring that the visit is extended to other disability centres across the country as a quarterly event.
Formally adopting and implementing a ban on shackling in policy.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu (SAN) issued a press release in the wake of shackling of children and people with psychosocial disabilities in Kano State and other parts of the country, condemning the act and called for a ban on solitary confinement of children and people with psychosocial disabilities. The Commission’s intervention through its Kano State Office resulted in moving the affected children and adults to Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) welfare unit.Conducting regular, unannounced motoring visits to government and private social care institutions as well as faith healing centres.
The Commission paid an unannounced visit to the Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre for People with Disabilities Kuchiko-Bwari, Abuja on Monday, 11th October, 2021. The visit emanated from complaints by persons with disabilities during the department’s outreach visit to the Persons with Disabilities Colony, Karamajiji, in the FCT, that persons with disabilities who solicit for alms are often arrested and usually detained in un-conducive cells in the Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre for People with Disabilities. The Centre, however, declined entry to the facilities, stating that they were unaware of the Commission’s visit and that for subsequent visits; the Commission should formally notify the Centre. The Commission however is unrelenting in carrying out unannounced visit to all such centres to ensure that the persons with disabilities are not abused.
Developing accessible, affordable and quality community-based supports for people with disabilities, including mental health services.
Disability and Mental illness have been misconceived as spiritual problem by the society who violates their right to dignity. The Commission therefore partners with various Organization of Persons with Disabilities as well as Faith Based organizations and Community Heads to ensure accessible, affordable and quality community-based support for persons with disabilities that will guarantee the promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights of persons with disabilities and mental health sufferers. The Commission is encouraged with the adoption of a new National Health Policy by the federal government in addition to the existing Mental Health Act and the National Health Insurance Scheme which are all geared towards improving access and affordability to health services by the citizens including persons with special needs.
Creating and carrying out deinstitutionalization policy and time-bound action plan, based on the values of equality, autonomy and inclusion of people with disabilities.
Although Nigeria does not have any policy on deinstitutionalization, however, the Commission is working towards ending the deprivation of liberty of persons with disabilities and psychosocial disabilities as well as working closely with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to ensure the creation of the deinstitutionalization policy.
