By Jude Njoku

Over the years, the needs of people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups such as people living with HIV/AIDS and the elderly have not been mainstreamed into policies and programmes on water, sanitation and hygiene, WASH.

Against this backdrop, participants at a three-day equity and inclusion awareness creation workshop sponsored by WaterAID Nigeria, have called on the three tiers of government to properly consider and address the needs and rights of persons living with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

Noting that the opinions and input of persons with disabilities are not sought in the design and implementation process and provision of WASH facilities, the participants who were drawn civil society organisations and WASH Media Network stated that “it is the responsibility of all to ensure we adopt the principles of equity and inclusion into our lives, our outlook and the way we operate”.

In a communique issued at the end of the workshop held at Akwanga in Nasarawa State, the WASH stakeholders posited that “in order to meet the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets for water and sanitation and as a measure of the principles of equity and inclusion in our society, everybody, including persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, should have equal access to water and sanitation facilities and services”.

“The needs of people living with disabilities and other vulnerable groups should be mainstreamed into programmes and policies on WASH. Architectural designs of water points and sanitation facilities should be done in a way that gives people with disabilities easy and direct access.

People living with disabilities and other vulnerable groups need to be involved in policies and in the decision making process; in conceptualisation of programmes, as well as in the design and implementation procedures of WASH facilities and service delivery,” the participants canvassed.

They also stressed the need for social change in order to alter the negative perception of society towards people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. According to these stakeholders, equity and inclusion in WASH should be mainstreamed into school curriculum from the primary level.

They enjoined civil society organisations and the media to embark on a massive campaign to create awareness and promote equity and inclusion in WASH.

“People with disabilities should be empowered and given access to services that will enable them access their needs and rights and live a life of dignity. All barriers to life affecting people with disabilities should be removed.

Government should recognise our diversity as a people and all forms of discrimination against people because of age, sex, gender, disabilities must be stopped through proper government legislation and implementation of government policies,” the group said.