Teenage Development for Africa (Teen Africa) and Eminent Empowerment & Inclusion Network (EMINET), have applauded the members of the Enugu State House of Assembly (ENHA) over the passage of the “bill for a law to provide for the full integration of persons with disabilities into society, establish the Enugu State Persons with disabilities commission.”
The Bill which is with funding support from the Urgent Action Africa (UAF) will vest in the commission, the responsibilities for their education, healthcare, social, economic and civil rights and for connected purposes.
The new Law which henceforth is to be cited as Enugu State Discrimination Against Persons with Disability (Prohibition) Law, 2022 also provides the establishment of a commission vested with the responsibilities for the education, healthcare, social economic and civil rights of the PWD community in Enugu State.
Teen Africa and EMINET in a joint statement made available to JOURNALIST101 hinted that by this unprecedented move by the state Legislators, “the peculiar needs of the PWD community are henceforth not just left to fate and charity, but are legally mainstreamed into public governance to which a more responsive system of governance will be required.”
The statement which was signed by Ms. Kobi Ikpo for Teen Africa and Dr Ifeoma Chukwuma, the Executive Director of EMINET further stated that “the content of the law which also covers and includes the prohibition of the use of PWD in soliciting for alms are thus prohibited and their rights to liberty, education, health, first consideration in queues’, accommodation in emergencies, reserved spaces, road side walks, freely and easily accessing public aids in public premises, vehicles, right to education, receiving information in appropriate and accessible format, opportunity to employment, equal right to work and participate in politics.”
They Both described the event as a “historic one bound to especially improve the lives of the women with disability in the state” and expressed gratitude to Urgent Action Africa (UAF) for their timely “intervention and support which facilitated the final push to ensure the passage of the bill into law before the closure of the 7th Assembly of the State legislature.
They assured that Teen Africa and EMINET will continue to partner with women with disabilities to sustain advocacy for the law to be assented by His Excellency, Governor Ugwuanyi before May 29th 2023 while stressing on the need for the incoming Governor of the state to prioritize the implementation of the law for inclusive development of the state towards achieving sustainable development goals.
The duo (Teen Africa and EMINET) also served as collaborators in the project implementation of the Urgent need for women with disabilities to advance advocacy for the passage of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (prohibition) Bill into law before the end of Session the 7th Assembly of the Enugu state House Assembly.
