ABUJA — The Cedar Seed Foundation has launched a nationwide civic campaign, Vote for Her, to promote the full political inclusion of women and girls with disabilities in Nigeria.
Unveiled at a press conference in Abuja, the campaign seeks to dismantle structural and institutional barriers that hinder the political participation of women with disabilities, despite legal guarantees of inclusion.
“This initiative is about more than visibility, it is about genuine political participation. Women and girls with disabilities face intersecting discrimination based on gender and disability, compounded by inaccessible political systems,” said Ms. Rose Daniel, Deputy Executive Director of the Foundation.
Supported by Luminata, the campaign will span 15 days of intensive advocacy, including social media awareness, storytelling sessions, and stakeholder engagement with political parties, electoral bodies, civil society organisations, and the media.
“This is a national and international call to action,” said Mrs. Catherine Akor, Chief Operating Officer.
“We are demanding that political systems open up space for leadership and voice for women with disabilities.”
Akor called for the immediate implementation of the five percent quota for persons with disabilities as stipulated in the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, and urged political parties to revise their constitutions to reflect inclusive practices.
Ms. Janet Alabede, Public Relations Officer of the Women with Disability Inter-Party Forum, emphasized the need for electoral stakeholders, especially the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure accessibility across the voting process, from registration to polling units.
The Foundation, which works to promote the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities, said inclusive governance is not optional but a necessity for democratic progress.
