The Empower to Thrive Development Initiative (ETTDI) in Abuja, yesterday held a policy dialogue on disability-inclusive economic empowerment to improve access for women with disabilities.
ETTDI Executive Director, Dr Ima Chima, said the dialogue was aimed at bridging the gap between policy and practice to make frameworks practical tools that open doors.
Chima said the event was aimed at generating a clear policy recommendation to advance disability inclusive finance, skills training and entrepreneurship support backed by commitments from government and private actors.
He said the participants would examine the barriers faced by women with disabilities and explore opportunities offered by financial inclusion strategies, MSMEs policies and training institutions aimed at guiding appropriate actions.
According to him, for Nigeria to unlock the full potential of its economy and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), women with disabilities must be empowered to participate fully in economic activities.
“Inclusion is not charity. It is smart economics, social justice and a national imperative,” he said.
On her part, Dr Olusola Adeoye, the Programmes Manager Empower Her Ability Project , said that the project was aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and self-reliance among women with disabilities in Nigeria, thereby enabling them to overcome socio-economic barriers and achieve economic independence.
Adeoye said it would enhance the capacity of 25 young women (18 to 40 years) through training in entrepreneurship, financial management and business planning within six months.
She said that they would be mentored by experts, including women with disabilities excelling in business both locally and internationally, noting that they had recently concluded a two-month online programme.
She added that the programme was aimed at facilitating access to markets for the beneficiaries and link them to finance and business support networks.
In his remarks, Mohammed Isa, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, described the dialogue as timely for charting concerted actions for the wellbeing of women.
He said that by creating a platform for collaboration, sharing insights, and charting actionable pathways, the organisation had provided the opportunity to seek concrete solutions aimed at improving the lives of women with disabilities across Nigeria.
He was represented by his Director of Media and Communications, Lanre Oloyede.
Isa said that women with disabilities in Nigeria faced multiple and intersecting challenges, including barriers to credit, loans and financial services due to stereotypes and structural inequalities.
He added that they were also excluded from mainstream entrepreneurship programmes and government interventions, including difficulties in accessing infrastructure and devices that could enable them to participate fully in economic activities.
He noted that with the right policies, targeted interventions and inclusive partnerships, the narrative can be changed through some actionable solutions.
On her part, Esther Bature, Country Advocacy Coordinator for Sightsavers Foundation International, expressed concern that financial institutions do not have desk officers to handle enquiries for People With Disabilities.
Bature said the situation often made consultations less private due to the involvement of third parties, which could discourage women from seeking microcredit facilities.
The end of the programme, organisations made commitments to share knowledge and experiences and to conduct periodic reviews.
This is aimed at enhancing their businesses while supporting them in advocating for improved opportunities and welfare.
The Project is funded by the French Embassy in Nigeria in partnership with local disability and women organisations.
