…says persons with disabilities should not be excluded from society
By Udesinanna Stephen
The Disability Not a Barrier Initiative, (DINABI) has called for the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), in the media reportage, saying that the blind and deaf need to be considered, especially in online media.
The body made the call on Thursday, in Ado-Ekiti at a one-day training workshop on disability inclusion and media accessibility for PWDs sponsored by Disability Rights Fund (DRF).
The Executive Director of DINABI in Ekiti State, Mr Olajide Funso in his opening address said the workshop aims to strengthen the capacity of the media to report in a way that persons with disabilities can also access the media, adding that the media should ensure to use names that are not derogatory to refer to those living with disabilities.
He said, “The names used on disability persons is unhealthy, some who do not have tick skin can be emotionally troubled. If our media should do what they should do things will go better. We believe that if the media can join us in this regard to shape the opinion of the people and to change the orientation of the people; they will come to realise that persons with disability need to be included in the society.
The Director, said the group is channelling all effort to ensure that those with disabilities feel among in the society, adding that persons with disability should not be excluded from society activities, especially in respect to media report.
Earlier, the Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Kayode Babatuyi, disclosed media readiness to support people with disability; “I want to assure this gathering that our doors are open at all time, we are open for partnership, and the media will ensure that the public will be informed about the supposed terminologies to be used on people with disability.”
Also, the former Chairman of Joint Association of Persons with Disability in Ekiti, JONAPWD, Mr Peter Ojo commended the media for their interest to continue to support physical challenged persons, adding that media synergy could change the narrative by having a disability inclusion an media accessibility.
The resource person for the workshop, Waheed Oguntade called for appropriate words against derogatory words among media persons as well as the society.