Economic Community of Western African States, ECOWAS, on Thursday announced its endorsement of the Global Disabilities Green Initiative, GDGI, led by Mrs. Angelina Ugben.
The GDGI is a global movement for inclusivity of people with disabilities in governance and policy initiatives, especially in issue of climate change.
It is also an international organisation that integrates disability advocacy with environmental sustainability, creating inclusive renewable energy solutions and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
The endorsement was pronounced during a visit by a network of international non-governmental organisations to the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja.
Receiving the delegation, the head of Division Social Affairs in the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Alves D’Almada Fernando Jorge emphasised the need to integrate the disability community in policies that enhance green environment and promote sustainable agricultural technics for food security in the sub-region.
Dr. Jorge expressed delight on the activities of GDGI in the advocacy and sensitisation on the effects of climate change, promising the commission’s maximum support to the initiative, as well as international exposure for it to achieve its mission.
Speaking to the media, the GDGI president, Mrs. Ugben said the visit was to seek collaboration with ECOWAS, which she said had been at the forefront in the cause of people with disabilities.
She noted that such collaboration would enhance the activities of the initiative, especially on climate action which, according to her, affects persons with disabilities the more.
“As an organisation we need policies that will address our needs; we need people because when we talk about climate change they’re the most vulnerable and they’re being left out in policies that deal with the action. So this collaboration will go a long way, we need to work together to see how persons with disabilities can be involved in the climate action policies,” Mrs. Ugben said, as she expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting.
On the involvement of the West African Action Network on Small Arms, WAANSA, in the advocacy, the Regional 1st Vice President, Comrade Martin Igwe noted that WAANSA as a network of non-governmental organisations, including the Cattle Breeders Association (Miyetti Allah), women and youth leaders, GDGI is one of the associations collaborating with the network on the issues of climate change and therefore, needs the support of all.
According to Igwe, “We cannot be taking the issues of climate change like an academic exercise; and we must also not reduce inclusivity of the disability as an academic exercise. We must push and make sure that it is real.
“We are supporting them because we want them to be included in the policy roundtable on the issues of climate change.
“Since the 1970s the region has been having climate issues which have transformed into farmers/herders clashes, food insecurity; and as an average NGO working for peace and security in the region, we must not keep quiet.
The WAANSA leader, who used the medium to commend the West African Bank for Development for its financial intervention, but appealed that such intervention should also be channelled in policy initiatives as championed by the network and its affiliates, so that it could be well accepted in communities, attract more support and strength to the government, as well as democratise development, thereby preventing conflict.
