Abuja: The Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI) has called for sustained training of law enforcement personnel to improve the response to violence against women and girls with disabilities in the Federal Capital Territory. The organisation said people with disabilities often face additional barriers when reporting violence, seeking protection and justice.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the call was made in Abuja during a training organised by CWSI for law enforcement personnel on disability rights, inclusive communication, and survivor-centred approaches to handling cases of violence against women and girls. The project funded by the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) aims to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies in providing disability-inclusive and gender-responsive services.
Executive Director of CWSI, Francisca Uti, emphasized the importance of sustained cooperation between government institutions, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, and people with disabilities to address existing gaps. She called for more institutional commitment and effective implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
CWSI had previously conducted capacity-building sessions in Gwagwalada and AMAC in the FCT, where 30 law enforcement agents were trained before bringing the officers together for a shared learning event. Superintendent of Corps and Desk Officer for Persons with Disabilities at the FCT Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Oluwakemi Ojo, shared that the training had altered her understanding of disability rights, emphasizing that people with disabilities should enjoy the same rights and freedoms as other Nigerians.
A Disability Inclusion Advisor, Abdulmumuni Sulayman, encouraged institutions to develop stronger policies and equip frontline personnel with practical skills to respond appropriately to people with different disabilities. He noted that frequent transfers or replacement of trained personnel could undermine efforts to build institutional knowledge and urged for stronger partnerships with CWSI to extend disability training to communities.
Participants in the event advised CWSI to partner with government agencies to incorporate disability inclusion into existing staff training programmes to strengthen cooperation and reduce costs. They suggested that government institutions could leverage already allocated funds for staff development to build disability awareness across departments.
The participants identified challenges such as inaccessible facilities, inadequate assistive equipment, and weak disability-inclusion policies as ongoing barriers. The shared learning event included representatives from various law enforcement and government agencies, who discussed ways to make law enforcement and protection services more accessible and responsive to women and girls with disabilities.