Stakeholders in Kwara State have intensified calls for the establishment of a State Disability Commission to advance the rights and welfare of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), citing years of systemic neglect.

The demand emerged during an interactive session organised by the Voice of Disability Initiative (VDI) in Ilorin, focused on improving access to sexual and reproductive health services for women and girls with disabilities. Oyelakin Ogungbade, VDI's state focal person, revealed that advocates have pushed for the commission for over two years to coordinate critical support, employment opportunities, and inclusive services.

"PWDs need a dedicated office they can approach for timely and fair assistance," Ogungbade stressed. "Without structured government intervention, issues like healthcare access, education, and livelihoods remain unresolved."

The call highlights gaps in existing frameworks, with stakeholders urging Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's administration to prioritise the commission's creation as part of Kwara's inclusive development agenda.

The event facilitator, Oyedeji Olufemi, in his session with healthcare professionals, advised that inclusion should not be seen as an act of charity, saying: "Inclusion is not favour but justice."

He urged healthcare providers to move from sympathy to respect and practical support, revealing that the session trained health workers on rights-based and inclusive care. Discussions also focused on strengthening communication between providers and PWDs.

Edward Ogiji, VDI's Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, shared a disturbing example of discrimination faced by a deaf woman who was refused medical attention because she did not come with an interpreter.

"She had written clearly why she was at the hospital and who she wanted to see, but instead of responding in writing, the staff ignored her. She sat for hours until someone else intervened. This shouldn't be happening," he said.

Ogiji noted that although the Disability Rights Law has been enacted in Kwara State, implementation remains slow. He added that VDI has been active in the state for two years through its Disability Rights Matter project.

"We've received support from stakeholders, and the governor has shown leadership. But the commission is what will make these efforts sustainable," he said.

Over 150 women with disabilities have benefited from VDI's palliative outreach, which has provided them with food and sanitary items. However, Ogiji maintained that such relief is not enough.

"We're open to working with the government on long-term solutions like empowerment programmes that allow PWDs to live independently," he said.

During the session, the woman leader of the All Women with Disabilities in Kwara State also called on health professionals and the public to stop using offensive labels like "moron" or "handicapped," and instead refer to them by the accepted term "persons with disabilities."

She shared the experience of a blind woman who went to the hospital for a scan but was delayed by a nurse. According to her, the woman overheard the nurse speaking with a colleague, saying, "Who will attend to this one now?" a remark that made it seem as though her disability made her less human.

"Sometimes, they say these things without realising the effect it has on us, but they should know better and do better. Being disabled doesn't make us less deserving of dignity or care; we also have the right to reproduce," she said.

The Voice of Disability Initiative was founded by Catherine Edeh, a Nigerian lawyer and disability rights advocate with a disability. VDI has since 2015 advocated for inclusion and equal rights, especially for women and girls with disabilities.