By Milcah Tanimu
In anticipation of the United Nations summit on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) scheduled for September 18 and 19, the Federal Government has received a petition bearing 48,063 signatures from 121 countries, demanding action to safeguard disability rights. Joy Tarbo, Communications Associate at Sightsavers Nigeria, revealed this development in a statement released on Friday in Abuja, following the presentation of the petition to Dr. Betta Edu, Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Tarbo emphasized that this petition, signed by individuals from 121 nations, including Nigeria, underscores the urgency of addressing disability rights as the UN prepares to discuss the SDGs. She further highlighted that notable signatories include Mr. James Lalu, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD); Dr. Zakariya Mohammed, Deputy Director of OSSAP-SDG; the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD); and Sightsavers.
The campaign’s central message is a call to world leaders to uphold their SDG commitment of “leaving no one behind” and ensure that discussions on the SDGs specifically address the concerns of individuals with disabilities.
In addition, the government, along with other member states, will convene at the SDG Summit in New York on September 18 and 19 to make fresh commitments and assess global goal progress. The summit’s results will encompass a political declaration and global as well as national commitments made by UN member states.
Dr. Sunday Isiyaku, Sightsavers Country Director, voiced concern that, as the world reaches the midway point of the 2030 deadline, progress toward achieving the SDGs has veered off course and is in jeopardy. He underscored that individuals with disabilities bear the brunt of the lack of progress in addressing poverty and inequality.
Similarly, Abdullahi Aliyu-Usman, President of JONAPWD, appealed to all world leaders to expedite SDG-related actions and ensure inclusivity for people with disabilities. He stressed the imperative that the political declaration and all national commitments made at the summit prioritize reaching those who are most marginalized.
This collective call to action aligns with a recent UN report highlighting that the SDGs cannot be realized without immediate measures to include marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities, in global progress.
