The Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (DWAN) partnered with FAME Foundation and other organizations to host her 13th Annual General Meeting/ 1st National Deaf Women Summit, from 22-24 August 2022, themed, “Breaking the Bias: Ending exclusion of deaf women to access services.”

The theme seeks to draw attention to the contributions that deaf women are making to local, regional, and international organizations and processes. This gathering gave deaf women a platform to speak out against Nigerians’ prejudice, gender-based violence, and the exclusion of deaf women.

The President of the association, Mrs. Hellen Beyioku-Alase, while bemoaning the discrimination, gender-based violence, and poor access to medical facilities due to communication gaps, called on the Federal Government to review the Disability Act and give more recognition to deaf women in the country.

While appreciating the partners of the summit, Mrs. Hellen called for the support of the government, NGOs/CSOs, health care facilities, schools, religious leaders, and business owners across the country to create an inclusive community for deaf women, with emphasis on the provision of sign language interpreters and signages are found in public places.

“Discrimination, gender-based violence, and poor access remain big snares against us. To date, our members and deaf women face violence and subjugation from men, discrimination in employment, zero/poor access to health care, education, and public women-centered policies which can better the life of less-privileged deaf women hidden everywhere in the nation”, she said.

Further speaking at the summit, Charity Ojogbane Anaja, Development Expert on gender rights, democracy, and governance, urged the women to take part in the forthcoming elections and not forget to make their demands heard and attended to.

Regardless of their limitations, women are a country’s greatest resource and guardians of future generations. Society must no longer ignore deaf women.

Their disability is not inability! They too can contribute to nation-building.