Maina urges Women with Disabilities to participate in politics

Abuja (Women Affairs Ministry Report) – The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zainab Maina has advised women with disabilities in the country to seek election into various political offices and vote during the 2015 General Elections. She gave the advice in Abuja lately at a workshop organized by the Advocacy for women Disability Initiative (AWWDI) with the theme: “Women with Disabilities Making a Difference.”

The Minister added that women with disabilities should no longer confine themselves to their homes, but should take active part in the political process. While reiterating the Ministry’s commitment towards ensuring the passage of the Disability Bill and improving the welfare of persons living with disabilities, Maina encouraged them not to relent in doing whatever they can to make ends meet and not to be idle and make themselves liabilities to their families and the society.  

She assured them that the government will continue to provide enabling environments for women to be active partners in national development, noting that this administration is committed to giving more political space for women to contribute their quota to national development.  

The National Coordinator of Advocacy for Women Disability Initiative (AWWDI), Patience Ogolo Dickson in her remarks called on women living with disabilities to collect their voters’ cards and vote in the coming general elections. Adding, the workshop was organized because of the discrimination that persons with disabilities face in the country. 

According to her, it is time for them to make a difference by coming out en-masse to vote, in order to usher in an administration that will include the issues of women with disabilities in its policies for the development of the nation.