Kaduna: Persons With Disabilities Partner Media on Wayforward 

Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria

Persons with disabilities have called on the media to assist in charting their cause as they are voice of the voiceless.

The Executive Director, Women With Disability, Self Reliance Foundation, Mrs Riskat Mohammed made this call while at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Secretariat, Kaduna.

The Director had during the meeting enumerated some of their challenges and reason for the partnership.

Many of their issues she said are sometimes misrepresented. They are seeking more collaboration on the part of the media in the realization of their dreams by charting their course to the doorsteps of the government and relevant stakeholders.

“I am here to identify what the gaps are around persons with disabilities. To call for government’s increased recognition and planning for persons with disabilities.

And to also see how we can work together to make life better for persons with disabilities.”

There is ability in disability she said as they have many amongst them that are intelligent and well educated that can help to positivity drive the nation’s economy.

Risikat frowned at some of what she called degrading languages being used on their persons by the public of which she said the media is also guilty of .

Such phrases like, ‘the downtrodden’, ‘persons living with disability’ instead of ‘persons with disability’ among others.

“Out of ignorance some languages are used by the media that create another discrimination, and stigma for persons with disabilities. Such is creating more gap for us because people believe in what comes from the media.”

For better orientation, she promised seeking partnership for training the media on issues related to persons with disabilities including the correct usage of languages.

She called on the media to assist in creating public awareness on issues concerning their well-being.