SoLife Project Canvass Support for PWDs

Society For Life Changers and Good Parental Care (SoLife), which focuses on empowering women and girls with disabilities through improved social inclusion and elimination of gender- based violence in Osun and Kwara States, has canvassed support for people with disabilities ( PWD).

They made this call at the inaugural press conference held at Osogbo, Osun State capital, last Thursday.

While delivery the speech, SoLife Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager, Mrs Odedeji Aanuoluwapo Victoria, opined that the project came into existence since 2009 to curb violence against women and girls with disabilities in the selected states.

She maintained that, "SoLife, Empowering Women and Girls with Disability through the improved social inclusion and eliminating Gender-based violence (EMPOWER) as approved by UN Trust Fund to End Violence against women ( UN

Trust Fund) and United Nations Entity for Gender and the Empowerment of Women (" UN WOMEN ") will be implemented in the nine local governments in Osun and five local governments in Kwara state, as well as all the schools for handicapped in the two states.

"The selected local governments were found to be discovered to have high rate of women and girls as victims of violence, particularly during and after election period.

"The women and girls with disabilities who became survivors of violence became the target beneficiaries for this project which include 500 girls and women, 5,100 women and girls with disabilities, 100 women and girls survivors of violence in the state and local government, while indirect beneficiaries of the project includes parents and guardians of persons with disabilities, community based groups, educational professionals, faith based organisations and government officials.

"According to the United Nations, some 10 per cent of the world's population, approximately 650 millions people lives with a disability. They are the world’s largest minority and some 80 per cent of them live in developing countries including Nigeria".

She also mentioned strategies that will be used to tackle violence against women and children with disabilities in collaborating with stakeholders, such government bodies, NGO, media campaign, training teachers as counselors, among others.

SoLife Chairman Board of Trustees, Mr Aremu Steven Akinyele, who emphasised that the SoLife project will focus on women and girls disabilities and handicap, enjoined citizens to work together to ensure friendship with PWDs and promote mutual understanding.

In attendance were stakesholders, media, project manager ( SoLife) Mrs Adeola Falana; Mrs Abdulahi Fumilayo, and Mrs Akinola Oluyemisi.