The Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), an organisation that promotes the rights of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), says 61 per cent of women and girls with disabilities lack basic computer skills.

The Executive Director of IFA, Grace Jerry, disclosed at a Consultative Forum on Digital Literacy for Women and Girls with Disabilities organised by IFA in Abuja on Thursday, October 17, 2024.

Jerry said the forum was to address digital literacy challenges facing persons with disabilities and to seek the way forward.

She said this was crucial against the backdrop of the federal government’s quest to attain 95 per cent digital literacy for all Nigerians by 2030 and the need for inclusion for PWDs, especially women and girls.

The IFA boss stated: “In Nigeria, about 35 million persons representing 16 per cent of the total population have one form of disability or the other.

“While there has been incremental progress in removing disabling barriers to ensure the full participation of PWDs in all spheres of life of the Nigerian society, several credible studies indicate that they are largely excluded.

“They are excluded from, and lack access to basic services including health, education, rehabilitation, employment, economic opportunities and so on.

“In line with global trends, up to 90 per cent of PWDs in Nigeria live in abject poverty. Although disability rights laws and policies now exist at the national level and in some states.”

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Jerry noted that the gap in digital literacy between the disability community and the rest of the population was one of the key factors responsible for the lack of access.

Jerry added: “In particular, in 2023, a study found that 61 per cent of women and girls with disabilities could not power a computer on/off (Tech4Dev).

“In an attempt to bridge this gap, Nigeria, through the National Information Development Agency (NITDA) developed the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF).”

The IFA director said the agency made recommendations for mainstreaming digital literacy in Nigeria based on international best practices towards achieving 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030.

She noted: “However, the NDFL does not take cognisance of the peculiarities of persons with disabilities, especially women and girls, and does not make any specific and targeted provisions for them.

“Hence, the import of this consultative forum, the objectives of which include to build network and alliance towards enhancing digital literacy for women and girls with disabilities.

“It is to also analyse the NDLF and develop strategic and actionable recommendations to make it disability-inclusive, especially for women and girls with disabilities.”

Jerry added that if the quest to attain 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030 would be realised, adequate attention should be given to the peculiar circumstances of persons with disabilities, especially women and girls.

According to her, this is because digital literacy is essential to accelerating employability skills and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians to live a more meaningful and productive life.

She further stated that unequal digital inclusion was a contributing factor to the disproportionate poverty among Nigerians, especially persons with disabilities, particularly women with disabilities.

The IFA boss urged all stakeholders, including NITDA and government at all levels, to put persons with disabilities at the centre of the drive towards a digital economy powered by a digitally literate population.

Also speaking at the event, the Facilitator and Programme Officer of IFA, Tracy Onabis, said PWDs have some rights to be protected under the NDLF.

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Onabis, who spoke on the 2023 analysis of the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF),  said the rights included right to work on equal basis with others, literacy awareness raising, disability digital literacy data collection, monitoring, and evaluating the implementation of NDLF for disability impact and partnership for mass disability digital literacy, among others.

She stated: “It has become clear that the NDLF is a veritable tool to drive digital skill upscaling in Nigeria, and the blatant exclusion of the disability community, whether by act or omission raises a lot of concern.

“It is our belief that the addendum arising from our recommendations today will guide all stakeholders in ensuring that the NDLF and all related issues become inclusive in word and practice.”

The Star