Disability inclusion advocates push for political representation in Sierra Leone and Nigeria

In Sierra Leone, the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) is calling on the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) to implement Recommendation 50 of the Tripartite Report. This recommendation aims to advance disability inclusion by ensuring that up to 5% of elective and appointive public offices are held by persons with disabilities, starting with a minimum of 2%. The NCPD also recommends that political parties include at least 2% persons with disabilities on their national nomination lists for elective positions.

PPRC Chairman Emmanuel Koivaya Amara acknowledged the commission's regulatory mandate and expressed a commitment to mainstreaming disability rights, noting that the PPRC has yet to establish a dedicated wing for disability affairs.

In Nigeria, stakeholders in Bauchi State, including legal experts, activists, and community leaders, are advocating for the establishment of a Persons with Disabilities Commission. Organized in collaboration with Plan International, the Ikra Foundation for Women and Youth Development, and the Canadian Government, the engagement focused on the proposed Bauchi State Persons with Disabilities Commission Law. The initiative seeks to create a framework for the protection, inclusion, and participation of persons with disabilities in governance and emphasizes the need for effective enforcement of such legislation.