Group wants women with disabilities involved in climate change issues

A group, Network of Women with Disabilities (NWD) has called on the governments to involve women with disabilities and others in the programmes and policies of climate change mitigation and others at both national and sub-national levels in Nigeria.

In addition, it urged the relevant stakeholders and development partners to empower women to engage in profitable climate change events and have representation on issues of the national climate change legislation.

Its President, Lois Auta made the assertion in Abuja on Thursday, saying the impacts of climate change on physically challenged women can be felt in the areas of food security, health, economics, water sanitation and hygiene as well as loss of land and flooding.

According to Auta, “Today, we are having an increasing number of children and women with disabilities that after erosion, earthquake, trauma, they are often excluded from climate change conversation, decision-making processes, and empowerment programmes.

She therefore called for national policies, and advocacy for the development and implementation of inclusive initiatives that will consider the needs and perspectives of women in climate action plans, adding that “government can create a more equitable and sustainable future for all.”

Another speaker, Emmanuel Ayogu said he was hopeful that women can do more in climate actions such as mitigation and adaptation as well as explore the intersectionality of disability and gender in the context of climate advocacy to bring them to the limelight in Nigeria.

He, however, decried the non-inclusion of this vulnerable group in climate change initiatives that could have made them accessible to individuals through accommodations such as sign language interpreters, wheelchair ramps, and alternative formats.