Zadaya-Kanem Polio and Disabilities Initiative, Lafiya UK advocate for greater inclusion of PWDs
The Zadaya-Kanem Polio and Disabilities Initiative, in collaboration with Lafiya UK, has called for greater inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in all aspects of society, enabling their full economic and public participation.
The call was made in a message, titled “Disability Day Commemoration Message: The True Measure of Inclusion,” and delivered on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Disability Day Commemoration Message: The True Measure of Inclusion
We gather today, on this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, not merely to mark a date on the calendar, but to pause and reflect on the profound depth of human dignity. We thank our partners, Lafiya UK, and every advocate, caregiver, and family member here today whose presence is a testament to unwavering commitment.
This day is a powerful reminder that true community is defined by how generously it embraces those who need it most. We celebrate the resilience, the extraordinary achievements, and the visible contributions of the disability community.
However, in our vital push for inclusion—for accessibility ramps, for policy reform, and for visible representation—we must take a compassionate step back and ask: Are we truly reaching everyone? Today, we direct our thoughts, and our hearts, to the individuals with severe and multiple disabilities, those whose challenges mean they may never attend a public rally, never sit at a conference table, and may remain largely invisible within the bustling narrative of societal participation.
Our Moral Imperative: Reaching the Invisible
The severely disabled often require 24-hour care, complex medical interventions, and specialised institutional support that is difficult, if not impossible, to access in many of our communities. Their exclusion is silent; their struggle is often unseen. This is the true measure of our compassion to recognise that the right to dignity, care, and quality of life is not conditional upon the ability to participate economically or publicly.
It is an inherent human right. We must ensure that our healthcare policies, our budgets, and our hearts are big enough to include them to fund the highly-specialised nurses, the tailored assistive devices, and the supportive environments that protect their vulnerability.
A Pledge of Unwavering Commitment
At Zadaya-Kanem Polio and Disabilities Initiative, alongside Lafiya UK, we pledge to ensure that our fight for Inclusive Healthcare is radical and uncompromising. It must be a healthcare system that reaches into the remotest homes and the deepest needs.
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Let us leave this commemoration with a renewed, fierce commitment: No one is left behind. Let the dignity of the most severely disabled members of our society be the unwavering standard by which we judge all our progress.
Thank you.
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