Persons With Disabilities Want Pro-Sexual, Reproductive Health Policy

With challenges faced in accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), want the Lagos State government to review SRH policies to be pro-PWDs on the occasion of the International Day of Persons With Disabilities.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos during a roundtable discussion organised by Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS), in collaboration with National Association of the Blind (NAB), the General Manager of the Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs (LASODA), Mr. Babatunde Awelenje, said the government is working on implementing the Special Peoples Law.

Awelenje, who was represented by Mr. Adebayo Adebukola, said the law when implemented will guarantee free, health care services, education and transportation by PWDs who are registered and certified by LASODA.

Speaking during her presentation on “addressing the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescent with disabilities towards sustainable and resilient society for all”, Mrs Rose Mordi of the Down Syndrome Foundation, said PWDs should be part involved in decision making especially about sexual and reproductive health.

Mordi said, “provision of SRH rights education and information about sexuality and relationship education is essential learning for young people with disability who are more likely to require direct instructions to learn positive and protective skills and are more vulnerable to sexual and abuse and exploitation.”

She however added, that research consistently shows that sexuality and relationship education is important to young people with disability and can be successful in contributing to knowledge and skill acquisition as well as influencing positive behavioral development.

Mordi stated that “there is need for implementation of policy and practice guidelines. The needs of PWDs are often overlooked or neglected, therefore addressing the SRH needs for adolescent with disabilities should be part of the everyday reality for all people so we can understand that everyone has a right to receive information and make decisions when it comes to sexuality.

“In an organized society, it is the responsibility of the government to take care of the population but apparently, PWDs dont count. We need to let the government know that we count because we are human beings. Our case need to be brought to the front burner and addressed. Let the disability bill be signed into law. We need to have a legal backing, without it, we are on our own.”

A journalist and child rights advocate, Aramide Oikelome, said society tends to think that PWDs should be non-sexual and in many case, sexuality education is withheld because it is assumed the person won’t need it.

She however called on government, stakeholders and people to see the need to increase awareness about the sexual rights of PWDs as well as increase dissemination of information.