Interview with Patience Ogolo Dickson
'We started small, but we are loud'
This time on OPD voices, we present to you the Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative (AWWDI). The AWWDI is a national OPD in Nigeria that focuses on issues affecting women and girls with disabilities, particularly gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health rights, empowerment, political participation, advocacy as a bedrock, and engagement with state and non-state actors to influence policies, programmes and activities. It operates through self-help groups within communities, where members can discuss issues affecting them and potentially build connections with stakeholders, especially government actors and or non-state actors. Currently, AWWDI has about 130 such groups across Nigeria with over 4,000 women with disabilities. They have a new strategic plan to expand into West Africa. We spoke with one of the co-founders of the OPDabout their activities and here is what she had to say.
Can you introduce yourself and your role in AWWDI?
My name is Patience Ogolo Dickson. I’m happy to be one of the lead co-founders. This came from my experience as a woman with physical disability and working with women with various clusters of disabilities.
You have recently launched a Landmark Guide on Disability-Inclusive Climate Action. How has climate inclusion become such an important topic for your organisation?
People don’t talk about the unique challenges that women and persons with disabilities face in climate actions. In our culture in Africa, in Nigeria, we have a patriarchal system. So as women, we face unique challenges, and as women with disabilities, it’s a different challenge. And as women with disabilities in climate events, it is yet another challenge. The world is talking about climate change and its effects right now. We face unique challenges, and as women with disabilities, it’s a big discussion. It would be very good for us to also add the voices of women with disabilities to that conversation. That is exactly what we are doing; that is how the landmark publication came about.
Nigeria faces numerous disasters, and women with disabilities are often more affected because they are more vulnerable and already face barriers. They are frequently overlooked in disaster response efforts. Therefore, we decided to explore ways to advocate to the government so that the voices of women with disabilities are included in both discussion and action. As a result, ministries, departments, and agencies — particularly those we collaborate with on climate change, like the meteorological agency, the Ministry of Environment, and the National Council of Climate Change — have begun working with us based on our publications and advocacy efforts. We have even established an MOU with them, and they have embraced the agenda. Our publication serves as a foundation, bringing together all ideas which they have started to incorporate into their work. We are now awaiting implementation. While this has always been an issue in Nigeria, we hope that our efforts have set a new tone.
What are some of the biggest challenges your organisation has faced in advocating for women with disabilities?
As a community and an organisation of women with disabilities, it is already challenging because having disability attached to your name becomes a mandate. Since it is a mandate, there is already a negative mindset wherever you go, especially when introducing yourself as an organisation of persons with disabilities or an organisation of women with disabilities. There is already an attitude towards your organisation that views it in terms of charity. They see us as needing charity rather than recognising us as an organisation that aims to be part of the country, participate in most activities, and have our issues included in discussions. We want to be involved in decision-making processes regarding our concerns.
However, many actors do not realise this; they allocate budget for mobility aids and believe their work is done. We have made them understand that we have moved past that stage. The current stage focuses on developing persons with disabilities, and this is a challenge faced by organisations of persons with disabilities, because they still think that anything related to disability is charity.
Secondly, it is difficult to engage stakeholders, especially when these stakeholders are not very experienced in disability inclusion and hold a mindset that differs from the current human rights approach that disability organisations are now adopting. For example, ministries say “advocacy for women with disability” — no, no, no, we know what they want!” Therefore, it is hard for them to participate in a roundtable discussion with us.
And thirdly, being part of decision-making is really difficult because you have to follow all the processes involved in political participation. As an organisation committed to the advancement of women with disabilities, you also need to begin advocating for their political participation. Additionally, you should advocate to electoral bodies and those in charge of political parties for the acceptance of women with disabilities into the political space.
There’s also a problem with the community mindset towards disability: they still look at us as people who need help.
But thank God for the SDGs, which brought the mantra ‚leave no one behind‘. Now, many Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are saying, “before we do anything, we have to include organisations of persons with disabilities to have a voice in the document. “ As I speak right now, I’m at an event where we are reviewing the policy on sexual and reproductive health and rights of persons with disabilities, with an emphasis on women and girls with disabilities.
The best moments in my work are the moments where I see that women with disability are owning their space, are speaking with one voice, are changing narratives, and are becoming action in the space where they were being left behind.
Have there been unexpected allies or partnerships that have helped your OPD during challenging times?
As far as climate change and its impact on women with disabilities is concerned, it wouldn’t have been possible without the support that we got from the Disability Rights Fund, which has been pushing that agenda for the past three years. Without their funding, their support, it wouldn’t have been possible. Last year, we were also joined by the Global Green Grants Fund, which is also pushing for climate justice for the community and engages with consultants to support the publication and highlight policy gaps.
I think they form a kind of collective commitment that has played a role; it has been very strategic because in Nigeria, when you secure donor support for your action, it speaks volumes.
What are you most proud of regarding AWWDI’s work?
I am proud that women with disabilities are part of the actions taking place in our country. I’m proud that we started small — a small organisation, small in the form of a self-help group — and that we are a loud voice in the system. As of today, AWWDI is one of the loudest voices on issues affecting women with disabilities. And I am so proud that we can identify and develop women with disability in the community who are leading voices wherever they are. I’m proud that we are changing mindsets. The negative mindset against us: they say we are incomplete, abnormal, can’t do anything, and are helpless.
I am proud to say that women with disability are changing that narrative. AWWDI is 16 years old now. It has come a long way, and we are still running!
Further Resources
If you would like to get in contact or partner with AWWDI for any activities, you can reach out via patienceodickson@gmail.com