FG Petitioned to Protect Disability Rights

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

Ahead of the United Nations (UN) summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the federal government has received a petition with 48,063 signatures calling for action to safeguard disability rights

 The Communication Associate at Sightsavers, Joy Tarbo, yesterday issued a statement announcing the formal presentation of the ‘Promise in Peril’ petition to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu.

The statement highlighted that the petition garnered support from 121 countries, including Nigeria, with individuals from across the globe showing their solidarity for the crucial cause.

The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Mr. James Lalu, and Deputy Director of OSSAP-SDG, Dr. Zakariya Mohammed, are among the petitioners.

The ‘Promise in Peril’ petition is a collaborative effort by NCPWD, Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), and Sightsavers’ Equal World campaign.

Its primary objective is to implore world leaders to honour the SDG promise of “leaving no one behind”, and to ensure that disability issues receive due attention during the upcoming SDG discussions.

The Country Director of Sightsavers, Dr. Sunday Isiyaku, highlighted: “Progress on the SDGs has derailed-they are completely off-track.”

He further noted that: “People with disabilities are being hit hardest by the lack of progress on poverty and inequality, as well as the promise to leave no one behind is in peril.”

Isiyaku went on to say that the call for action aligns with a recent UN report revealing that achieving the SDGs is an uphill battle without urgent measures to include marginalised groups, particularly people with disabilities.

He said: “The report emphasised that these individuals face the greatest disparities in global progress. Globally, people with disabilities are up to twice as likely to live in poverty compared to those without disabilities.”

President of JONAPWD Abdullahi Aliyu Usman, on his part, said: “We’re calling on all world leaders to speed up action on the SDGs and make sure they are inclusive of people with disabilities.

“They must ensure that the political declaration and all national commitments made at the summit focus on reaching those who are being left furthest behind. This is our last chance to get the SDGs back on track.”