Abuja: Stakeholders in the disability space have called for stronger implementation of inclusive education policies and greater government commitment to improving the lives of children with intellectual disabilities across Nigeria through targeted interventions and support. The call was made at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, where disability advocacy organisations inaugurated the Intellectual Disability Cluster.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the initiative is aimed at amplifying the voices of children with intellectual disabilities across the country. The cluster is also expected to promote effective implementation of policies affecting children with intellectual disabilities and strengthen advocacy efforts toward improving their welfare and inclusion in society. The cluster brings together organisations including Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative, Autism Society Foundation, Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria, and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), among others.
Founder of Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative, Mrs Bibora Yinkere, said the collaboration was established to provide a unified advocacy platform and strengthen engagement with policymakers and relevant stakeholders. According to Yinkere, collective advocacy will attract greater attention from decision-makers and improve the implementation of policies affecting children with intellectual disabilities, while ensuring their needs receive adequate consideration in governance. She said that children with intellectual disabilities required specialised support systems, supervision, and tailored learning approaches to enhance educational outcomes and promote their full participation in society.
Project Lead of Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria, Mrs Ijeoma Fyncountry, described the formation of the Intellectual Disability Cluster as a significant milestone towards coordinated advocacy and stronger representation for persons with disabilities. She said the collaboration would focus on achieving full implementation of inclusive education in the FCT while advancing employment equity, health equity, and social, cultural, and religious inclusion nationwide. Fyncountry noted that persons with intellectual disabilities remained among the most underrepresented groups in Nigeria and therefore required deliberate, sustained interventions to improve access to opportunities and essential services.
She expressed confidence that the collaboration would leverage partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and collective action to achieve meaningful progress for persons with intellectual disabilities across the country in coming years. A representative of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr Ikem Uche, said the commission had introduced measures to ensure public buildings, including schools, were accessible to persons with disabilities. Uche also said that the commission had developed a uniform sign language dictionary for Nigeria to promote effective communication and improve learning opportunities for deaf students across the country. According to him, the commission has trained caregivers and parents of children with special needs while providing support services to help persons with intellectual disabilities integrate successfully into society.