EMPOWER Project: SPAG Advocates Disability Bill Amendment to Kwara Government

The State Partnership against Gender Based Violence against women and girls with disability in Kwara state, SPAG has advocated amendment of disability bill for inclusion and in tandem with the national disability bill of Nigeria.

This is as the SPAG Committee of the EMPOWER Project of Society for Life Changers and Good Parental Care, SoLife solicited for attention to be paid to the plight of persons with disability in the state, particularly women and girls with disability.

The SPAG Chairman, Mr Aremu Stephens Akinyele made this known at the courtesy visit paid to the Attorney General of Kwara State, Ayinla Salman Jawondo SAN in his office at the Ministry of Justice.

According to Aremu who double as Chairman/Board of Trustees Society for Life Changers and Good Parental Care, one the objectives of EMPOWER Project is ending violence against women and girls with disability in Kwara state.

He used the medium to appreciate Kwara State government under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for domesticating the disability law, he commended the Kwara Attorney General for his outstanding performances, pleaded that the disability law amendment be accepted to be at par with the disability law at the federal level.

In her presentation of the highlighted area of concern of the amendment document to the Kwara State Attorney General, the SPAG Vice Chairman 1, Barrister Mrs M.B Alaya explained SPAG rational for supporting Joint Association of persons with disability JONAPWD, to advocate for amendment of the Disability Law in the State.

She also commended Kwara government for its proactive measures in creating an enabling environment for persons with disability. 

In response, the Attorney General for Kwara State, Ayinla Salman Jawondo SAN pointed out the persons with disability are at the top list of vulnerable group, particularly the women and children who are part of the high population in Nigeria, hence attracting attention.

He emphasized that Kwara government is working on amalgamating its laws relating to specific rights like child rights law, disability law among others to be addressed as Special Rights law with its different departments under various agencies.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria Attorney General Jawondo averred that his office will work on the disability law amendment proposed, he said that just as rape is inhuman, violence against women and girls is also inhuman, he added that violence should not be limited to gender.

He used the opportunity to laud the efforts of the State Partnership against Gender Based Violence against women and girls with disability, SPAG in Kwara state, described the EMPOWER Project of the Society for Life Changers and Good Parental Care as a life saving platform for persons with disability, particularly women and girls with disability, and he encouraged the committee to keep up the good work.

At the courtesy visit to the Kwara state Attorney General were other members of the SPAG Committee for Kwara state.