By Deborah Ojuade
A couple of weeks ago, how to achieve creative strategies for implementing disability act in Nigeria was highlighted.
How will a company owner know that five per cent of persons with disabilities should work in their companies when they even know about the Disability Act, or how will a parent who is educated or not know that their child with a disability needs to go to school when they are not aware of the Disability Act.
The Nigeria Disability Act, officially known as the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities (Prohibition) Act,2018, is a comprehensive law that protects the rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
Most persons with disabilities are not even aware of the disability act that protects their rights in society, not to mention parents, caregivers of persons with disabilities, and even most company owners, school heads, etc., who do not have any slight idea of what disability act truly means, which is why most people don’t know to relate or interact with persons with disability.
The disability act is considered a significant legislation designed to promote the rights and well-being of people with disabilities in Nigeria.
There are 10 things the world needs to know about the act.
- Prohibition of Discrimination: The act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in various areas, including education, employment, healthcare, and transportation.
- Accessibility Standards: The act sets out accessibility standards for public buildings, roads, and transportation systems to ensure they are accessible to people with disabilities.
- Right to Education: The act guarantees the right to education for people with disabilities and requires schools to provide reasonable accommodations to support students with disabilities.
- Employment Opportunities: The act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to support employees with disabilities.
- Healthcare Services: The act guarantees the right to healthcare services for people with disabilities and requires healthcare providers to provide reasonable accommodations to support patients with disabilities.
- Transportation: The act requires public transportation systems to be accessible to people with disabilities and provides for developing an accessible transportation infrastructure.
- Five-year Transition Period: The act provides a five-year transition period for public buildings and structures to comply with the accessibility standards set out in the act.
- National Commission for Persons with Disabilities: The act establishes the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, which is responsible for promoting the rights and well-being of people with disabilities in Nigeria.
- Penalties for Non-Compliance: The act provides penalties for non-compliance with its provisions, including fines and imprisonment for individuals and organisations that discriminate against people with disabilities.
