Abuja: Stakeholders have called for disability-sensitive early warning systems in climate action to address peculiar needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). The stakeholders made the call in Abuja on Saturday during a forum convened by the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), an NGO promoting full inclusion of PWDs in governance and social life.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the forum on Disability-Inclusive Climate Action Project was supported by Rise Up Together, an NGO advancing gender justice and equity globally. The stakeholders also advocated a systematic collection of disability-disaggregated data to strengthen climate-related interventions and policymaking.
They expressed concerns over the disproportionate impact of climate change on PWDs, who often face heightened risks during extreme weather events, disasters, and environmental crises. Executive Director of IFA, Ms. Grace Jerry, highlighted that millions of PWDs remain largely absent from the country’s climate policies, emergency preparedness frameworks, and disaster response mechanisms. Jerry emphasized that the failure to mainstream disability concerns into climate governance continues to expose vulnerable populations, especially women and girls with disabilities, to disproportionate risks.
According to her, while climate change affects all Nigerians, its consequences are often more severe for PWDs, who face additional barriers in accessing information, relief services, and emergency support. She noted that climate change is already disrupting lives and livelihoods across the country, with PWDs bearing the heaviest burden despite receiving little attention in climate planning processes.
The executive director added that although climate change has always affected PWDs, growing awareness and advocacy have helped bring their experiences into national conversations. She described how, during disasters, wheelchair users are stranded by floodwaters, visually impaired persons lose mobility aids, and individuals with albinism face heightened exposure to extreme heat conditions.
Ms. Jerry stressed the need for inclusive early warning systems to ensure that critical information reaches all members of society. Similarly, Mr. Stephen Idoko, Programme Manager of IFA and Rise Up Leader, explained that the Disability-Inclusive Climate Action Project aims to confront the unequal impacts of climate emergencies on PWDs. He acknowledged that while national climate policies recognize vulnerable groups and gender concerns, they offer limited direction on disability inclusion in practice.
Mr. Idoko stated that the project is designed to identify policy shortcomings, strengthen inclusive climate governance, and contribute to developing a national guideline. This guideline would ensure disability considerations are embedded in climate action strategies. On his part, Mr. Friday Ogezi, Climate Justice Advisor at ActionAid International, noted that Nigeria has several climate-related policy frameworks, but implementation remains weak, particularly regarding inclusion and financing.
Ogezi argued that existing policies often recognize vulnerability but fail to adequately explain how climate change affects different categories of PWDs or provide clear pathways for addressing those unique challenges. He called for a shift from symbolic consultation to meaningful participation, insisting that PWDs be actively involved in designing, implementing, and monitoring climate policies and programs.
Ms. Kauna Gabriel, a representative of Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI), claimed that many hearing-impaired persons in flood-hit communities of Niger were unaware of early warning systems and other government support programs. Gabriel attributed this to the non-usage of sign language and other communication channels to convey critical information during emergencies.
She stressed that effective communication remains essential for inclusion, urging authorities to deploy sign language interpreters and accessible information systems during emergencies and humanitarian interventions.