NGO advocates inclusive participation for physically challenged persons

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has charged community leaders to always include the physically challenged in the scheme of things.

The NGO, operating on the aegis of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, said this would give such persons a sense of equality in the society.

Executive Director of the organization, Mrs Emem Okon, gave the charge during a capacity building and training workshop on gender and social inclusion in Calabar on Friday.

She charged the council legislatures, traditional rulers, women and youth leaders to always see the physically challenged as their partners in progress.

Okon stated that it was wise to take cognisance of those with disabilities during the planning process so that they do not feel left out.

“As leaders, when we are designing our community programmes or preparing our community budget on no account should we leave the physically challenged behind.

“To us at Kebetkache, they are also part of the society in which we exist.

“A situation where a health care centre is built without taking into consideration the need of these category of persons is wrong,” she said.

Okon maintained that the organization has in the last five years trained over one hundred activists across five states of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Imo and Abuja on community budget monitoring and evaluation.

She said that the training was to ensure that money allocated for execution of projects in the various communities is used for the purpose it was meant for.

Other issues treated at the capacity building workshop by the organization include training on gender equality and inclusiveness among others.