DRAC signs Partnership Framework Memorandum with Christoffel-Blinden Mission (CBM UK)

Disability Rights Advocacy Center in a bid to escalate her efforts at improving the quality of life of women and girls with disabilities (WWD) signs a Project Agreement for a multi-year project with CBM International/CBM UK tagged: Respect, Not Abuse Project (An Initiative for the Prevention and Reduction of Violence against Women and Girls with Disabilities)

 

The RNA project which aims at reducing violence against women and girls with disabilities and increase their access to justice will also scale up DRAC’s current activities on access to health especially SRH for WWD in Nigeria.

 

Using the strategies of advocacy, policy engagement, capacity building and public awareness the project will engage with policy makers and duty bearers for the rights of WWD, educate WWD on their fundamental human rights, provide a safe, confidential and accessible channel for WWD to report cases of violence and seek/obtain redress, while promoting mutual acceptance and increased male commitment to and involvement in upholding the rights of women and girls with disabilities.

 

The project will be piloted in the FCT.

 

The Partnership Framework Memorandum was signed at the CBM Country Office in Nigeria by Dr. Irene Ojiugo Patrick-Ogbogu Executive Director, DRAC and Dr. Toyin Aderemi, The Country Representative CBM Country Office in Nigeria representing CBM International and CBM UK.

 

This project is in line with DRAC’s objectives and commitment to improving the sexual and reproductive health of women and girls with disabilities in Nigeria and is built on evidence gathered during a situation analysis carried out by DRAC in 2015

Findings from the situation analysis showed low knowledge of WWD on their sexual rights, poor access to healthcare for WWDs at multiple points of healthcare and the lack of access, mechanism or platforms for WWDs to express their concerns/challenges. It also showed that women and girls with disabilities suffer overt and covert forms of violence in the home/family settings, workplace and from society as a whole.

 

Violence against WWD remains a key factor that undermines the ability of disabled women to participate as full and equal citizens in Nigerian society. Violence against WWD is an intersectional category dealing with both gender-based and disability-based violence. The confluence of these two factors results in an extremely high risk of violence against women with disabilities.

 

The SA also showed that WWD experience high levels of domestic/family violence and sexual assault, and have high levels of unmet needs in terms of access to domestic violence, sexual assault and related community support services.

The SA further revealed that in Nigeria, responses to violence against women with disabilities have traditionally been characterized by limited recognition by governments and the service sector of the nature and extent of the problem; inadequate research; incomplete or partial response structures, and scarce resources to support advocacy in the area.