PWDs - NELOC News

How to Search for Jobs as a Person with Disabilities

A job can be a source of great fulfillment in every person’s life, but finding a job is often a problem for many Persons with Disability. There are many programs available and resources to help you, and even if you have a disability, there are opportunities out there to help you find a fulfilling job.

For one thing, the following tips allows person with disability who struggle to find and maintain employment to get employed and stay employed. Here are some of the tips.

1. Keep the Focus on What You Can Do -- Not What You Can't.

If there’s one thing we could all probably use a lot more of, it’s the ability to focus. But telling yourself to stay focused on your job search especially a mundane one, is often a lot easier said than done. First things first: You need to eliminate distractions. While you can’t do away with everything, you can make an effort to reduce or get rid of as many distractions as possible.

2. Discuss Only What's Necessary About Your Disability

With this, person with disability need to be truthful about his or her condition.One of the reasons you may decide to disclose your disability is that it lets you request a reasonable accommodation during the application process, to perform the job duties, or to access benefits. By Law, we do not need to disclose our disability. We are not legally required to mention our disability while we're being considered for a job. You do not need to disclose your disability on your resume, cover letter, or other application materials, or during an interview. Most private enterprises do not stick to this law.

3. Be Confident.

The first hurdle in finding a job is finding the right fit and making employers aware of your interest or availability. This is the perfect opportunity to reach out to friends, family and former work colleagues to let them know you’re ready or approaching readiness to return to work. Your personal and professional network is a good place to start your search, as these contacts may have leads or suggestions of companies or industries that would make reaching out worthwhile. Even if your immediate circle can’t point you in the direction of a job right now, they can probably suggest someone else in their circle of acquaintances for networking. Remember that you don’t have to tackle this challenge alone, especially if you can expand your network.

4) Educate Yourself.

We all strive towards greatness. It is the plight of the individual to reach his or her full potential and achieve the goals set by themselves as a result of the influence of society and our culture. We work tirelessly for most of our lives, but often struggle to accomplish the things we truly want out of our own experiences. While some of us are content to make ends meet or even thrive within a small set of parameters, others like you desire a lot more. All this can be achieved by educating oneself. The rapid pace at which the world is moving could easily see you left behind. Constant learning and professional improvements will keep you current and thus relevant to the happenings in the guest of looking for job. You will be able to take the business you are a part of, as well as your position forward. Let the world recognize you as a top performer and the industry’s leading expert.

What is disability?

According to Wikipedia," disability is any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or effectively interact with the world around them (socially or materially). These conditions, or impairments, may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of multiple factors. Impairments causing disability may be present from birth or can be acquired during a person's lifetime. Often, disabled people are "unnecessarily isolated and excluded from full participation in society."

The different types of disabilities are: vision Impairment, deaf or hard of hearing, mental health conditions, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, physical disability.

Disability can be as a result of impairment, disabled from birth or disabled during their lifetime. According to World Health Organization (WHO), Over 1 billion people are estimated to experience disability. This corresponds to about 15% of the world's population, with up to 190 million (3.8%) people aged 15 years and older having significant difficulties in functioning, often requiring health care services. The number of people experiencing disability is increasing due to a rise in chronic health conditions and population ageing.

Causes of disability after birth in Human Being

There are several disabilities that occurs after birth and some causes of such disabilities are highlighted below:

1. Accidents

Many people get disabling injuries at home by burns from cooking fires, falls, road accidents, and breathing or drinking toxic chemicals. We can't also overrule work place accident.

2. Medicines and Injections

When administered rightly, certain injected medicines, are important to protect health and prevent disability. However, there is are some deadly injection. Each year these unnecessary injections sicken, kill, or disable millions of persons. Also, some injected medicines can cause dangerous allergic reactions, and deafness.

3. War

In today's wars, more civilians than soldiers are killed or disabled, and most of them are women and children. Explosions cause people to become deaf, blind, and lose their limbs, as well as causing other injuries. Their mental health is also badly affected by the violence. The destruction of homes, schools, health centers, and means of livelihood that results from conflicts and wars leads to increased disability, poverty, and disease.

4. Poor access to health care

Good health care can prevent many disabilities. Difficult labor and birth can cause a baby to be born with a disability such as cerebral palsy. Trained birth attendants who can identify risks and handle emergencies can prevent babies from being born with many disabilities. Immunization can also prevent many disabilities. But many times vaccines are not available, or people who are poor or live far from cities cannot afford them, or there are not enough for everyone. Women who work long hours without enough rest are likely to have accidents. Women who work in factories, mines or on agricultural plantations can be exposed to dangerous machinery, tools, or chemicals. Accidents, overwork and exposure to chemicals can all cause disability.

6)Poisons and pesticides

Poisons such as lead found in paints, pesticides such as rat poison, and other chemicals can cause disabilities in people and cause birth defects in babies growing in the womb. Smoking or chewing tobacco, breathing smoke, and drinking alcohol during pregnancy can also harm a child before she is born. Workers often use chemicals on the job or in the fields without being taught how to use them safely, or without even knowing if they are dangerous. Accidents in factories can release poisons into the air, water, or ground, causing terrible health problems, including permanent disabilities.

7 Poverty and Malnutrition

Poverty is one of the biggest causes of disability. Poor people are most vulnerable to disability because they are forced to live and work in unsafe environments with poor sanitation, crowded living conditions, and with little access to education, clean water, or enough good food. This makes diseases such as tuberculosis and polio--and the severe disabilities they cause-- much more common because diseases get passed from one person to another more easily.

8. Nuclear Accidents

Many people have suffered after being exposed to massive amounts of radiation. According to an online report, "an accidents in nuclear power plants at Three Mile Island in the USA in 1979, and at Chernobyl in the Ukraine in 1986. And it also happened when the USA dropped nuclear bombs on Japan in 1945. These incidents caused widespread destruction and death from exposure to radiation. The people who survived these accidents and bombing attacks have suffered mainly from cancers--either tumors in various parts of the body, especially in the thyroid gland—or leukemia (cancer of the blood), all of which bring an early death. In communities where these nuclear incidents happened, there has also been an increase in the number of children born with learning difficulties, such as Down syndrome."

A chat with some people we won't like to mention their names show that their disability started due to some of the point mentioned above. Some after an taking an injection resulted to one type of disabilities and the other.

One of the most important rights of Nigerian citizens is the franchise—the right to vote. Originally under the constitution, citizens who are 18years old and above cannot be denied the right to vote on the basis of race, religion, sex, disability, or sexual orientation. In every state of the federation, citizens must register to vote, and laws regarding the registration process is the same all over Nigeria.

In 2018, following the immense impact of organisations in Nigeria such as the Disabled Persons Organisation (DPO) and Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) : Disability Votes Matter, a major feat was achieved with regards to inclusion in Nigerian democracy – for the first time ever, voters with visual impairments were allowed to vote unassisted, thanks to newly developed braille ballot guide.

However, despite the impact mentioned above, most people with disabilities in nigeria are still unable to cast their votes or stand for political elections at local and national elections. It has become imperative to dismantle roadblocks impeding the participation of people with disabilities, in nigerian politics.

Hindrance to political inclusion of persons with disabilities

Taking the recent nigerian general elections and other past elections into consideration, some of these barriers include but are not limited to:

1) Framework and Inability of Election Management Agencies

As part of security measures placed restrictions on vehicle movement on the day of elections. While this might have increased the chances of a safe election, it also posed a major problem to persons with disabilities who are not mobile enough, physically, to reach their polling units. Just like the case of inaccessible polling centres, several hindrances are recorded during the main elections process. for one, most poll workers are not efficiently trained on administering the vote to persons with disabilities. It is oftentimes a struggle to find agents/poll workers with the right training and patience to ensure a seamless voting process for this minority group. As a result of these factors, most persons with disabilities either sit out the election process or leave the polls without casting their votes.

2. Enervating Registration Processes

Registration processes in nigeria are never easy thing to do, this also applies to the voter’s card registration and collection process. it is not news that the less than conducive procedure has deterred several members of the voting community from participating in the elections on a general level. From long and poorly managed queues to technical issues and lack of adequate manpower, the first stage of the nigerian electoral process is difficult for voters – disabled or abled.

3. Lack of Reachable Information

Voter education, providing details on how to vote, when to vote, options available in the form of political candidates, the importance of voting as a civic duty of every nigerian, what is expected from public office holders, and the rights of voters across the board, is vital in helping the electorate make sensible decisions in their choice of leadership. However, there seems to be a lack of diversity in this educational process and the general dissemination of election information. Outside breaking information down through a variety of languages that cater to different ethnic groups, it is also important to cater to the need of persons with disabilities who aren’t able to easily access or comprehend the information being spread. This inadvertently leaves them out of the electoral process and increases political exclusion.

Moving forward, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties need to reach out to the disabled communities through the adoption of various means such as sign language, easy-to-read pictures, tactile, etc.

In recent time, the independent national electoral commission (INEC) and other civil society, like disabled persons organisation (DPO) and inclusive friends association (IFA) are making a tremendous effort to alleviate the problem person with disabilities go through in electoral process. inec as a reform-minded institution undergirded by the overall objective of engendering an all-inclusive political process, took upon itself the task of institutionalizing the framework for a more inclusive electoral process.

5 Ways to Ensure the Inclusion of PWDs in Our Society

Have you ever thought to yourself: "I'd rather be dead than disabled?" It's a usually reflection to most of us. Disability, in everyday thought, is associated with unhappiness, failure, with dependency and with not being able to do things. We feel sorry for disabled people, because we imagine it must be miserable to be disabled.

But in fact we're wrong. It's sometimes called the "disability paradox". Surveys reveal people with disabilities consistently report a happy life, or sometimes even better than, that of non-disabled people.

Below are 5 Ways to put Smiles on the faces of Persons with Disabilities

1. Helping to be Independent

Doing things on their own can make them immensely happy. Relying on others may be unavoidable, but becoming too dependent, even letting yourself become a wee bit lazy and let others do things for you that you can, can siphon away your happiness very quick. Most time, we should allow Person with Disability to do everything a from start to end without rushing to help, unless incase of emergencies.

2. Helping to Embrace their Individuality

Being disabled can be stressful, even downright embarrassing to always be the odd one out. “Fitting in,” after all, is a base human need. We must make Person with Disability look at their uniqueness differently, and to love every bit of it , doing that can make Person with Disability blissfully happy.

I'm disabled and I love that I’m not everyone else because it makes me more unique in my own way. Life is too short; to be like everyone else and doing the same old thing. Disability can definitely make life harder, but it can also make you a unique survivor worth noticing.

3. Making friends with Persons with Disability

We all need people in our lives we can relate to, someone who really knows our daily struggles because they understand and care. Being able to vent with someone who really knows your struggles is better than any therapist session by far. According to psychiatrists, visiting a person with a disability might look like the least effort. However, it plays a significant role in their mental and social well-being as it makes them feel appreciated. People living with any form of disability are also human beings and have feelings too. Most of them get stigmatized. So, whenever you are free can spend time with persons with a disability. That is enough reason to make them happier.

4. Affordable health care services for Persons with Disability

Creating a rehabilitation and health center with affordable and inclusive health care services requires a lot of support, not only financially. Rehabilitation centers are very instrumental in helping persons living with disabilities. Many times, they face negation from their own families. Their family members tend to feel ashamed and hide them from society, and that is unacceptable. Our brothers and sisters end up being locked indoors under very harsh conditions, especially persons who come from humble backgrounds. When rehabilitation and health centers started being established, it became like safe heaven. Health care and therapy became accessible. Those who needed wheelchairs got them, and life became better. With that, it will leave many people with disability happier.

5. Elect Them to Various Political and Government Seats

This is the most meaningful way to make persons with disabilities happy. It is termed as `being inclusive.` People with disabilities need to be represented by leaders who can truly relate to the challenges they face and articulate their grievances. The leaders can also push for reforms that favor persons with disabilities and amend policies that make them look left out. So next time there is an election held, take that responsibility of voting for a person living with a disability and let us give them a voice and power.

Haven listed some point to make Persons with disability happier, our appraisal of life with impairment may have less to do with reality than with fear and ignorance and prejudice. We wrongly assume that difficulties for people result in misery for people.

The Art of Branding Disability

I still recall with vivid freshness the rather opinionated and combative stance with which I approached debates within the deaf community in those early days. I had come in with this dangerously prejudiced mindset that much of my unhappiness and dissatisfaction with life could be traced to my deafness and society’s seeming nonchalant attitude. I was damn wrong, and entering the deaf community was instrumental to transforming my perspectives on Disability and Persons living with Disability.

Now, I wouldn’t say I have been weaned off that tendency to having a mind of my own. After all, a man must do his own living and dying. Still, neither am I as unyielding as in those early days. It’s been learning, unlearning and relearning.

I remember too, with undimmed clarity, sublime piece of advices received from those who have gone before in the world of disabilities. “Attitude is everything”, “keep an open mind”, etc. Deep nuggets. However it took years before I began grasping the timelessness of the wisdom in those words. The truth bore home slowly and steadily.

SEEING THE LIGHT

The Federal College of Education, Oyo, (an institution for special needs education) was my baptism ground. There, I had first glimpse of the light which gradually expelled the darkness in me. At Oyo I slowly came to an understanding that life could be meaningful and interesting despite Disability. It came down to attitude. Again, Oyo opportuned me the privilege of a miracle called “sign language”. A miracle I had long despised until it graciously found and rescued me from my wilderness wanderings. As I gained intellection, latitude, and a certain degree of dexterity in this visual language used for communication by the deaf, my perception kept expanding. I began to see possibilities where before, I saw only obstacles. Oyo was where I encountered people, events, and circumstances which challenged my prejudices and myths about living with hearing loss. Suddenly, I realized what great disservice I had been doing myself and humanity by failing to keep an open mind.

Now, I’d be realistic, and not try to paint a romantic portrait of being deaf. Sure, the experience comes with more crosses than could be just wished away. The key to managing this disability (like any other disability) lies in learning to focus on the sunny side – a skill that requires enlightenment and positive attitudes.

Below, I narrate the beautiful experience which inspired this piece.

AN AFTERNOON WITH A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Every adversity carries within it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit – Napoleon Hill

We sat on the cool, breezy verandah of one of the blocks of classrooms at her place of work on that hot Tuesday afternoon happily chatting away. Blessing was a lady friend from our days at College. I met her through another friend towards the tail end of her final year. The rapport was swift – thanks to her easy-going aura. She was dark-skinned and attractive in it. Slender, petite built, her rather small face bore large, oval eyes, attractively pointed nose and naïve, charming smiles which reveal a fine set of tiny dentition. Her facial and body features blended superbly. Needless to say, I was wowed by this winsome deaf lady.

But what impressed me most about Blessing was the amiable and easy going aura about her. Being deaf and without speech never seemed to bother nor crease her countenance! Cheerfulness and an easy-going personality were her brand.

The last we saw was some two or three years ago, so this reunion came with palpable excitement (the heart, they say grows fonder in absence). Old memories from college were rehashed. We threw hilarious jokes and laughed. Every bit of the moment was savoured. Then, it was time to part. The generous soul that she is, Blessing offered to walk me to the main road and get some light refreshments.

MARKETING THE DEAF BRAND

As we headed towards the gate, we drew curious gazes every now and then. A deaf pair, a beautiful, deaf lady and a young man (both decently attired), and chatting away in an odd, visual language certainly wasn’t a common sight in this community. “A cool pair of love birds”, these stereotypes must have concluded. Anyway, I was enjoying the special attention, give or take. Mulling it over, it still amazes me that just a few years back, I wouldn’t be caught napping identifying as deaf by signing in public. Quite a metamorphosis! Talk about branding Disability.

At the kiosk where we got some snacks and drinks, we struck instant friendships – thanks to this beautiful deaf girl with a great aura that an inability to either speak or hear couldn’t conquer. We didn’t have to pay. A young man we were meeting for the first time insisted on picking our bill. He was bowled over. It was obvious from his reaction that this was his first encounter with a combination of deafness with good looks, polite behavior, and cheerful demeanor in a human being. Guy went on to improvise a way to say: “you are beautiful”. So much for branding.

As we bade each other goodbye that day, my contemplative mind went to work in a bid to make deeper sense of this experience of living with deafness in a predominantly hearing world. I came away with the belief that for PWDs, it hasn’t been all discrimination. My philosophical mindset began to ponder on the many possibilities to be discovered in maintaining a positive attitude, keeping an open mind, and carrying our disabilities with individual originality and confidence.

Yes, living with disability comes with more silver linings than are readily apparent. It’s up to Persons with Disabilities to discover and explore this often hidden truth – which will ultimately set free!

At a time when the drive for better inclusion of a marginalized section of society (Persons with Disabilities) is gaining speed the world over, it is sad to witness religious institutions (by their very nature and calling supposed to be shining examples in this just cause) acting with apparent indifference.

Whether this is happening unintentionally or otherwise, I do not know. One thing I know: the situation calls for urgent redress.

In June last year, I was at the headquarter church of one the country’s leading Pentecostal denominations for Sunday worship service. It was my first time. Among the features that caught my attention on that first visit was the sheer size of the location, the state of the art equipment in use, the warm welcome of public relations staff, the fine show of opulence (children of the King are not supposed to be poor), and the generally conducive ambience. With these and more on ground, i was eager to settle down to quality time in Divine fellowship.

Alas, that wasn’t to be.

Fustration began when I made it clear to attendants that as a deaf person, I required sign language interpretation to easily assimilate spoken communication. In other words, without it, I couldn’t really benefit from the sermon and other parts of the service.

Ordinarily, one would expect the headquarter church of a denomination of such status to have ready arrangements to cater to the language needs of all kind of attendees at any given time. Also, it is a “no-brainer” that this mammoth religious organization has the capacity for that – and more. So, I was both surprised and disappointed to discover that in that audience numbering into hundred of thousands, there couldn’t be found interpreting services for the deaf and hard of hearing. I will never forget the rollercoaster of emotions of embarrassment, indignation, and disappointment I experienced that day.

The matter got more ridiculous when it became clear that even the ushers were not sure whether or not there was provision for such special need. I still recall an usher walking me almost the circumference of that expansive auditorium asking for, I will say, a nonexistent section for the Deaf.

At the end of the stress and embarrassment, all I got were some pacifying words.

Although it’s almost a year since that encounter, I am still trying to grasp why one couldn’t find a deaf person in that huge crowd of worshippers. Even if there was, there was no sure way to tell. Furthermore, the various responses and reactions clearly showed that these people are not used to having deaf brethren in their worship meetings. One may therefore understand why they appeared clueless in such situation.

Years earlier, I had a similar experience at a branch of same church where I again happened to be the lone deaf person. After much frustration, I somehow took the matter to the head pastor. Unfortunately, nothing concrete came out of it.

PERTINENT QUESTIONS

At this point, some pressing questions arise. Why, for example, was there no single deaf person in those congregations? Could it be that no deaf person is interested in worshipping there? I don’t think so. Again, could it be that the church inadvertently threw them out through non-chalant attitudes – no provision for their language needs, for example? As if to validate this reasoning, among the three or so top church names in the country, this is the only one of which I have heard practically nothing about a deaf section/ deaf persons. Oddly enough, a friend once said that this particular church has a policy of not accommodating deaf worshippers – insisting on the power of God to heal all infirmities. Well, I choose not to believe such outrageous claim until it is proven beyond doubt. My position is that in the mix of things is a lack of vital information, proper enlightenment and correct orientation that could have made a world of difference.

By beaming a searchlight on possible reasons for the marked absence of deaf brethren in that congregation of believers, we will understand that this kind of thing don’t just happen. It follows the law of cause and effect – some of which we may not know. From the known, I offer a fact: “It is unreasonable to expect a people whose unique communication needs have not been provided for to happy in, or want to be in any type of gathering – not the least, religious ones. I write from experience.

Let’s be clear about it, this unsavory non-inclusion of a disadvantaged minority in our worship places isn’t limited to one big name church. It cuts across churches, mosques, etc.

Nor is the case being made only for deaf persons and sign language interpreting services. No! It covers just about every cluster of People with Disabilities (PWDs) whose rights and human dignity are being denied/trampled on one way or the other. Consequently, there’s a steady build up of a disgruntled set of worshippers who feel ignored disrespected and insulted. This is a dangerous trend that needs to be checked.

What’s more, if we will see it for what it is, this subtle injustice stands in stark contrast to the spirit and letters of the holy writs of all the religions.

CHARTING THE WAY FORWARD

In recommending the way out of the present quagmire, we need to be fair.

“He that comes to the table of equity must come with clean hands”.

We need to acknowledge that this subject of inclusion is a knotty one – complex and complicated. It should be mentioned too, that either side could be at fault in this matter. Most often than not, the conflicts, dissatisfactions, blame trading and grudge bearing driving the “Inclusion narrative” have their root in a lack of enlightenment on the subject of disability, ignorance, ‘far off the mark' assumptions and speculations, differences in perspectives, poor awareness level, prejudice and other indices of human failings and limitations.

Personally, I hold the belief that people are basically good (more so, from the context of places of worship where godliness and piety is the norm) and wouldn’t just go about hurting feelings and infringing on rights of PWDs. You see, when good humans derail and offend in this matter, it’s often because they don’t know how to navigate this rather tricky terrain, so rife with sensitive egos, stereotypes and fragile emotions. Notwithstanding, in law, as they say, ignorance is not an excuse. So, here’s the home truth: “our places of worship need to invest on getting educated and enlightened on the subject of Disability and PWDs. Both leaders and laity need it.

Expert knowledge and advice should be sought from Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and other reliable sources.

Recommendations should be implemented with efficiency.

Special trainings and seminars should be held.

There should be brainstorming sessions where experts in various fields of human endeavors bounce off ideas on the way forward.

An important caveat though: the people in the eye of the storm, namely, PWDs, should be carried along every step of the way.

Despite being a minority, the case of these marginalized persons is worth all due attention. And I’m convinced our religious stakeholders are fair-minded enough to grasp the substance of the parable of the shepherd with a hundred sheep leaving the ninety and nine to seek the one that went astray.

Enough of this subtle non-inclusion.

The Paradox of Exclusionary Inclusion for PWDs

As the crusade for better social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) into the mainstream society continues to gain ground, there’s a need to guard against the green snakes in green grass phenomenon that might ultimately sabotage this laudable cause. To fail to do this is to settle for what may be called a “pseudo-inclusion” instead of the “full-inclusion” originally set out to achieve.

What Exactly is Pseudo-inclusion in this case?

Pseudo simply means something fake. Therefore Pseudo-inclusion is fake inclusion. This type of inclusion subtly cheats Persons with Disabilities by appointing people outside it to decide for PWDs matters.Again, pseudo-inclusion is the direct and indirect barring of Persons with Disabilities (because of their disabilities) from specific leadership positions in the larger society. It’s an irony of the Inclusion crusade that insults the sensibilities and human intelligence of Persons with Disabilities.

For the avoidance of doubt, I will say it again with emphasis: “the claim to Inclusion is false when we have abled persons wanting to have deciding says in disability issues. And these same people would turn around to stop persons with disabilities from exercising leadership in mainstream matters.

These veiled opponents of full inclusion always have deceptive arguments to defend their hidden motives.

In this piece, we look at one side of the exclusionary-inclusion theory otherwise referred to as fake-inclusion.

It’s high time we become increasingly concerned about this ridiculous occurrence in its various hidden appearances.

In defiance to the age-long adage that it is the person wearing the shoe that knows where it pinches, PWDs are being treated to a shameful spectacle where a barefooted people either take it upon, or have it unjustly entrusted on them to tell the shoe-wearers where the shoe pinches. In other words, to determine their fate.

The discerning mind will readily see this contradictory situation whereby supposed beneficiaries of inclusion end up excluded where it matters most – namely, the decision/policy making process. I have been there.

As a person with disability, you can probably relate to instances when your complaints of discrimination, stigmatization, etc, were replied with typical: “we will look into it”, “we will see the pastor”, “we will talk to leadership and find a solution“ comments? The odd thing is that neither leadership or whoever is mandated to resolve the problem has any real disability experience.

And sure enough, they go ahead as promised, and without your active contribution find a solution to the complaint.

Now, you are happy that the matter is resolved.

But wait.

Did you consider that the solution could have been better had your opinions and those of others in same shoes been considered in the resolution process?

Did you realize that without your active involvement, a basic rule of thumb has been violated in the solution finding process? You may or may not realize it. The point is, time and again, we see this kind of unjust thing happen. It’s called Pseudo-inclusion – fake inclusion.

The concept of Pseudo-Inclusion reminds me of my campus experience. I remember advocating for, and offering possible solutions for better inclusion of the Deaf section on campus fellowship.

It was good that leadership saw reason and there were improvements. The unfortunate side was that I wasn’t properly involved in the decision making process. I still remember the indignant feelings then. I was like: “what were they thinking”? By the way, I am not alone in this experience.

Meanwhile, similar scenarios replay at secular level – this time on an even worse scale.

We find this thing in government, we see it in politics, we encounter it in the academia – it is present everywhere.

I love this slogan of the deaf cluster: “Nothing about us without us”.

The same holds true for all the disability clusters.

Now here’s the challenge before us – the very ones wearing the shoe. The challenge is in walking the tough talk – nothing about us without us. We need to ask ourselves how effectively we have been doing that – walking the talk.

There are two ways to go about this:

First, leadership and stakeholders of the various disability clusters must wake up to the necessity of standing up for this sacred task.

Secondly, a customized training/mentoring system must be conscientiously put in place to revive and perpetuate the leadership succession sequence by equipping upcoming talents among members for the task of carrying on the full inclusion crusade.

We need to devise a functional system for identifying, nurturing and bringing together a new breed of “justice-minded” PWDs to sustain the fight against pseudo-inclusion.

Agreed, this battle will not be conceded by opponents on a platter. Therefore, we must be ready to go all out using every legitimate means at our disposal to ensure there’s really nothing about us apart from us.

It begins with ourselves. Are we ready? We ought to be.

The History Of The International Day Of Persons With Disabilities (IDPD) by Ogheneruemu Avweruosuoghene Alexander

Every year across the globe, precisely on the 3rd of December, a special event is observed. It is The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). On this day, several activities intended to promote a correct understanding of disability issues are organized. Support is mobilized for the dignity, rights, and wellbeing of Persons with Disabilities. The event is also intended to create awareness of the benefits to be derived from integrating Persons with Disabilities into every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life.

This unique, annual celebration was proclaimed in 1992 by a United Nations General Assembly resolution. This special resolution by the United Nations has behind it an interesting history. This history is the focus of this article. Before then, it is germane to put get some understanding of the background of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

It is said that “a knowledge of the history of a person, a movement, an event, a place, etc is crucial to having a better grasp of its present”. What is more, not only does such knowledge throw a light on the past to aid a better understanding of the present. It also enhances chances of creating a better future. And so an understanding of the successes and failures of the past is important to growing and making progress.

Back then in 1981, the event now known as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities started out as the “Year of Disabled Persons”. Five years earlier, 1976 precisely, the United Nations General Assembly had ratified a global decision in which it called for an “Action Plan” at national, regional and international levels. The focus was on providing equal opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), offer rehabilitation and prevent disabilities.

The theme for that year, 1981, was “Full Participation and Equality”. The impetus was on the right of PWDs to have a full part in the life and development of their societies, the right to enjoy living conditions equal to those of other citizens, and the right to have an equal share in improved conditions resulting from socio-economic development. With this first move of the UN General Assembly, a time frame was given to governments and organizations of signatory nations to implement activities recommended in the World “Programme of Action”. Thereafter, the UN declared the years from 1983-1992 as the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons.

Some pertinent questions rise at this juncture.

Why was it necessary for this apex world Organization, the UN, to expend so much focus and energies on a minority group?

What were the situations leading to the intervention of the UN?

A cursory look at the people in the eye of the storm will be helpful.

Persons With Disabilities.

From a general standpoint, a Person with Disability is one who suffers from a physical, mental, or emotional condition(s) that keeps her from living a functional life that is considered normal. A PWD may also be denoted by a term which specifically points to her disabling condition.

The Statistics

Statistics reveal that some one billion people (15%) of the world’s population suffer from one form of disability or the other.

PWDs, owing to their conditions, are more likely to experience marginalization in education, employment, poverty, unfavorable working conditions and a long list of other social injustices.

Such was the situation across the globe prior to the intervention of the United Nations. The situation still persists. Notwithstanding, there have been giant stride improvements since that first United Nations intervention of 1981.

The United Nations, guided by the principle of fundamental human rights, took up the gauntlet when its attention was drawn to recurrent barriers faced by PWDs in societies across the world. These obstacles constituted subtle infringements on the fundamental human rights of this minority. They came in various forms and magnitude. From restricted socio-political and economic participation to accessibility issues. From deficit in assistive devices availability to gaps in technology and service delivery. The overwhelming argument remained one of PWDs being at the receiving end of society’s attitude of discrimination, prejudice, and stigma. As it was then, so it is today – a tale of injustice to human dignity that calls for concerted actions by a recognized authority.

We now have a concise picture of the background to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Overtime, steady progress has been made and this yearly commemoration has become an important part of the United Nations calendar of activities. There is an increasing global awareness of the disability rights/inclusion social theory. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) has been an active vehicle for achieving the aims of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This very important document in the Disability Rights crusade specifically underscores the imperative of transnational collaborations in addressing the rights of PWDs.

As a legally binding instrument, this document ensures that PWDs across the globe get the same rights irrespective of nationality, gender, religion, language, etc. Signatory nations are expected to formulate laws that grant rights to PWDs in line with UN stipulations.

For instance, the Nigerian State, under President Muhammadu Buhari recently signed the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018. The law prohibits discrimination on the basis of Disability and imposes sanctions on offenders. Already, some gains have been made. While this gives hope to PWDs in the State, it remains to be seen how efficient and consistent its implementation will be.

Each annual celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities come with a distinct global theme which sets the tone for activities and lectures. However, individual countries, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the private sector are free to mark the occasion as they deem fit. The UN headquarters though, has a set routine for the IDPD. This consists of an opening ceremony, discussion panels and cultural events. Very importantly, all celebration activities are geared toward raising awareness on, as well as advancing the rights and perspectives of PWDs all over the world.

As individuals, governments and organizations look forward to marking this year’s edition of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in the next seven months, they will do well to have an eye to the historical background of the occasion. That way, the inclusion spirit will be efficiently nurtured and continue flourishing.