The House of Representatives on Thursday asked the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to forward to the National Assembly the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) for ratification.
The House reached a resolution at the plenary after the adoption of a motion moved by Miriam Onuoha from Imo State.
Moving the motion, Onuoha noted that the Convention on the Rights of PWDs and its optional protocol was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and was opened for signatures on 30 March 2007 and Nigeria is a signatory to the convention.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the implication of non–ratification of this convention on Nigerians with disabilities negatively imparts the full implementation of the contents of its provision within the Nigeria territory after 15 years.
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She said: “It takes to a new height the movement from viewing persons with disabilities as ‘objects’ of charity, medical treatment and social protection towards viewing persons with disabilities as ‘subjects’ with rights, who are capable of claiming those rights and making decisions for their lives based on their free and informed consent as well as being active members of the society.
“The United Nations, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights, has proclaimed and agreed that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind.
“The principles proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations recognizes the inherent dignity and worth and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.
“In other words, emphasizing the importance of mainstreaming disability issues as an integral part of relevant strategies of sustainable development. The need to domesticate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the wellbeing of persons with Disability.”
Adopting the motion, the House mandated its Committees on Disabilities and Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation.
