9/8/22. PWD/EBONYI

A Non Governmental Organisation, Women’s Right and Health Project (WRAHP) has called for a concerted effort towards tackling increasing cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence against Women and Girls Living with Disabilities in Ebonyi State.

The Executive Director of the Organization, Mrs. Bose Ironsi made this known in Abakaliki during a three-day capacity building on access to justice for Women and Girls Living with Disabilities in the state.

She observed that due to widespread discrimination, extensive rights violation, neglect, and stigmatization, Women and Girls Living with Disabilities were at greater risk of physical, sexual and economic abuse compared to those without disabilities.

She attributed the development to lack of information and limited capacity of women living with disabilities to access sexual and reproductive rights and reporting.

Ironsi said “there are several factors that informed this training. We know that there is a high prevalence of SGBV and when you are talking about inclusion, it means you need to carry everybody along, information needs to get to men, women, everybody specifically those that are mostly vulnerable and if you see what has been happening here and from the voices that we have been hearing, women with disabilities are much more vulnerable when it comes to issues of SGBV”.

On her part, the Deputy Coordinator of Gender Based Violence Taskforce team in the state, Reverend Flora Egwu noted that with the training more Persons with Disabilities would be sensitized in the hinterlands on their sexual and economic rights.

Some of the Women and Girls Living with Disabilities called for more of such training to educate them on their rights and how to pursue justice against violators.

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