A non-governmental organisation, Association For Parents of Children With Disabilities, has organised an awareness session in Osogbo, Osun State, for parents of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders on how to stop and prevent abuse and maltreatment of children with disabilities. The programme, themed “GBV Against Children With Disabilities,” brought together parents, caregivers, government agencies and civil society actors to draw attention to the silent but pervasive abusive conditions many children with disabilities endure, often under the watch of their own parents and caregivers.
Stakeholders at the event held on Saturday, September 26 in Osogbo, advocated for support, protection and empowerment of children with disabilities, insisting that “every child matters.” According to them, if children with and without disabilities live together in inclusive communities, their future will be bright. They stressed the need for the state government to provide well-equipped schools for children with disabilities and facilitate a robust curriculum that will promote public awareness and discourage abuse of children with disabilities.
The Chairman and Executive Director of the Association, Dele Olaniru, said the association was founded to assist parents struggling with the challenges of caring for children with disabilities. “We have started this association, trying to see how parents of children with disabilities can be helped or assisted with the problems they are going through as a result of trying to take care of their children with disabilities,” Olaniru said. He explained that the programme was designed to sensitise parents on why it is wrong to mistreat or maltreat their children because of disability.
Olaniru described the fight against abuse as a three-way approach involving parents, schools and government. “It is a three-way thing; number one is what we have started with the parents. If the parents are not having good orientations, there is a tendency for them to hold their children with levity which will make them vulnerable to the people that are already waiting to take advantage of them but if they are already taking care of their children, nobody will take advantage of them,” he said.
Olaniru called for the establishment of properly furnished and equipped schools with sound curriculum activities for children with disabilities. “This will uplift the inclusiveness of children with disabilities; it will help curb gender-based violence against children with disabilities. Number three is government – the government must help make the environment conducive for children with disabilities,” he added. He commended the Osun State Government for its efforts so far on disability inclusion and appealed for more, particularly the inclusion of disability awareness in the school curriculum.
Funmilayo Abdullahi, a stakeholder, said parents are critical stakeholders in the fight, noting that many abuse their children without realizing it. “We are speaking with different stakeholders and parents of children with disabilities that they are in fact very important stakeholders because in their homes, they are also abusing their children without even knowing that they are abusing them. We can’t really blame them because they don’t know and due to the stress and frustration that come with taking care of children with disabilities,” Abdullahi said.
Other stakeholders, including Mrs Oyerinde, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Association, echoed the call for an end to maltreatment of persons with disabilities. They urged society to stop blaming mothers for birthing children with disabilities, stressing that it must become a collective responsibility. They also appealed to government to lead with compassion and become the mouthpiece for people with disabilities.
Key points
- The Association For Parents of Children With Disabilities seeks inclusive schools and curriculum to end abuse of children with disabilities.
- Stakeholders advocate for support, protection, and empowerment of children with disabilities.
- The Osun State Government is urged to include disability awareness in the school curriculum.
