The BEACON of Transformative and Inclusive Development Centre has called on government and stakeholders to formally recognise deafblindness as a distinct disability in policy frameworks and planning efforts across Nigeria.
In a statement issued in Kaduna on Friday to mark the 2025 International Day of Deafblindness, the Centre’s Executive Director, Mrs Abigail Olatunde, urged national and state authorities to build systems of real inclusion.
“National and State Governments should formally recognise deafblindness. The National Bureau of Statistics should include deafblind individuals in data tools, and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs should establish Zonal Rehabilitation and Interpreter Training Centres,” she stated.
Olatunde described deafblindness as a unique disability with specific needs in communication, mobility, education, and healthcare, needs she said are too often overlooked in development plans and public services.
She cited examples from countries such as Norway, Canada, and the UK, where public systems provide interpreters, rehabilitation services, and assistive technology for individuals with deafblindness.
“In Nigeria, such support does not exist. Deafblind individuals are rarely counted in national surveys, and no public interpreter programmes or rehabilitation centres are available, leaving families to cope without support,” she noted.
Olatunde appealed to donors and international organisations to support grassroots efforts in Nigeria and across the region to improve conditions for persons with deafblindness.
She reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to rights-based development, inclusive programming, and strategic partnerships that aim to close structural gaps in access and representation.
“This is not about sympathy, but about rights, visibility, and justice. BEACON will continue to advocate for the rights of deafblind persons, ensuring they are heard and included in development plans and public services,” she said.
“Africa must act with urgency, dignity, and leadership to support deafblind individuals,” she added.
(NAN)