Report of EMBASSY Project Orientation, Introduction
Project Orientation, Introduction, And Objective Setting Meeting With Major Coalition Partners On The Embassy Project Working Group (PWDs) Held On 6th December, 2023.
The Project Orientation, Introduction, and Objective-Setting meeting for the Project Working Group (PWG) on the 2-year project titled “Eliminating Multiple Barriers to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among Young Girls and Women with Disabilities in Oyo State, Nigeria (EMBASSY) Project” in Oyo State, Nigeria.
Was held on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. The project is being funded by AmplifyChange and the implementing partner is PLAN Health Advocacy and Development Foundation (PLAN Foundation), Ibadan, Nigeria. Those present at the meeting were the key coalition partners comprising two representatives of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Oyo State Chapter in the persons of Mrs. Oniyide Roseline and Mr. Kayode Lawal, while Evangelist Olu Kayode is the representative of the Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities (OYSAPD). The PWG also included the five PLAN Foundation staff engaged in the project.
PLAN Foundation’s Executive Director Mr. Obatunde Oladapo introduced PLAN Foundation to the working group members, offering comprehensive historical insights into the organization’s past projects and emphasizing the rationale behind the organization’s steadfast focus on Disability and Inclusion. He underscored the universal nature of disability that nearly 1.3 billion people, which represents an estimated 16% of the global population, have one form of disability or the other. He highlighted that this scenario is attributable to factors such as population, aging, and increased incidence of non-communicable diseases. He emphasized that the absence of a disability today does not guarantee immunity in the future.
The Executive Director explained further that PLAN Foundation’s efforts extended beyond consultations and assessments, amplifying the voices of persons with disabilities and health outreaches tailored to their needs. The EMBASSY Project recognizes the pressing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of women with disabilities in Oyo State. The project therefore aims to address the barriers being faced by women with disabilities in exercising their rights to access SRH services.
In furtherance of the above, PLAN Foundation will work together with JONAPWD and OYSAPD to lead advocacy activities engaging major stakeholders consisting of relevant Government Ministries and Agencies as well as various non-state actors including religious and community leaders, media practitioners, and community birth attendants to establish a sustained movement named EMBASSY TEAM. The EMBASSY Team will be dedicated to advocating for increased access to inclusive and disability-friendly SRH services among women with disabilities in Oyo State. The Project would therefore strengthen the capacity of the movement to monitor the implementation of policies and programs related to access to sexual and reproductive health services for women with disabilities in Oyo State.
In highlighting the problems that the project aims to tackle, the Executive Director noted that women with disabilities have additional SRH needs compared to other women in the general population. He stressed further that despite efforts by consecutive political administrations in the state, the welfare of persons with disabilities has not yet reached a point where they have equal opportunities compared to others. While acknowledging the positive steps taken by the current administration in alleviating challenges in terms of access to healthcare services by persons with disabilities, the Executive Director reinforced the necessity for additional efforts towards advocating for increased commitment to improving the welfare of persons with disabilities in the state. The Executive Director outlined the transformative contributions the project aims to make which involves revising policies, guidelines, and laws to eliminate social and institutional barriers while expanding access to inclusive, comprehensive, and disability-friendly SRH services among women with disabilities in Oyo State.
In responding to questions on the modalities and monitoring mechanisms and the sustainability plan for the project, PLAN Foundation’s Executive Director stressed that there will be a 2-day workshop to develop a 3-year Advocacy and Resource Mobilization Strategic Plan for the EMBASSY Team that will sustain the movement after the end of the project. The PWG advised that subsequently, faith-based organizations should be included as part of the stakeholders in every activity of the project.
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PLAN Health Advocacy and Development Foundation (PLAN Foundation), was the first independent support group for people with HIV (PHIV) in Oyo State in Southwestern Nigeria. It is on record that we had the opportunity to participate actively and notably in most of these processes.
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