By Philip Yatai
Kaduna, July 17, 2020 (NAN) Save the Children International (SCI), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has tasked People with Disabilities (PWDs) to strengthen advocacy for inclusive social protection for its members in Kaduna State.
SCI Field Manager in Kaduna, Mr Tanko Langaya, gave the charge on Friday at the opening of a meeting with PWDs to improve members’ knowledge on ways to achieve social inclusion.
Langaya said that engaging the PWDs through the Disable People Organisations (DPOs) was crucial in building their understanding on social inclusion in the implementation of social protection.
He said that the DFID-funded Child Development Grant Programme II (CDGP II), was being implemented by SCI to promote and strengthen inclusive social protection systems in Kaduna State.
The field manager added that the concept of social inclusion in the implementation of CDGP was expected to identify and address knowledge gaps and proffer areas of collaboration with DPOs.
He said that the measure would ensure that vulnerable groups accessed and participated in government social protection programmes across life cycle, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, disability and religious affiliations.
According to him, the meeting is to identify gaps, challenges and build areas of partnership with the DPOs for a robust engagement of the social protection systems in the state.
He said “social exclusion is a complex and multi-dimensional process that involves the denial of access to resources, rights, goods and services.
“It is also the inability to participate fully in normal relationships and activities available to majority of people in a society, whether in economic, social, cultural or political arenas.
“Social exclusion affects both the quality of life of individuals and the equity and cohesion of society as a whole,” Langaya said.
According to him, if social protection is to be effective in addressing poverty, inequality, and exclusion, it must be inclusive and implemented as a right for all citizens.
He added that inclusive social protection systems would ensure that everyone was able to access income that provides security throughout a life cycle.
This, Langaya said, would promote personal wellbeing of the citizenry from childhood to old age and ensure they participate actively in societal chores.
The Director, Kaduna State Rehabilitation Board, Mr Aliyu Yakasai, thanked the NGO for reaching out to people with disabilities with the needed support to ensure they were not left behind.
He said “we are happy that SCI is carrying the DPOs along. This will give them a voice and a sense of belonging in governance processes.”
He encouraged the DPOs to make the best of the opportunity to build their capacity to be able to effectively engage in the governance and demand for inclusion as a right.
Mr Suleiman Abdulazeez, the Chairman of the Joint National Association of People with Disabilities (JONAPD), Kaduna State chapter, equally thanked SCI for the support.
He promised stronger collaboration with the NGO to improve the quality of lives of PWDs in the state and ensure that no disable person was left behind.