The Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) has called on disability service providers to strengthen safeguarding measures and ensure that residential homes and service centres provide safe, accessible and dignified environments for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), particularly children.
The General Manager of LASODA, Mrs. Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, made the call on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the agency’s Y2026 Stakeholders’ Forum held at the Lagos NUT Pavilion, NERDC Road, Alausa, Ikeja.
The forum, themed “Harnessing Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Advance Disability Inclusion in Lagos State,” brought together disability service providers and other stakeholders to discuss issues surrounding the quality, safety and accessibility of services provided to Persons with Disabilities.
Oyetunde-Lawal said disability inclusion must go beyond the provision of services to ensuring that PWDs are treated with dignity and are able to live, learn, receive care and participate meaningfully in society in safe and accessible environments.
“As service providers, we must recognise that inclusion goes beyond providing services. It also means creating safe, accessible and dignified environments where Persons with Disabilities can live, learn, receive care and participate meaningfully in society,” she said.
Safeguarding Children with Disabilities
The LASODA General Manager placed particular emphasis on safeguarding in residential homes, stressing that the safety, privacy, dignity and best interests of children with disabilities must remain a priority.
She also cautioned service providers about how they document and publicise the lives of children with disabilities, particularly through photographs, videos and personal information shared on social media and other public platforms.
“We must also be mindful of how we document and publicise the lives of children with disabilities. Their privacy, dignity and best interests must remain paramount. These are important issues that require our collective attention,” Oyetunde-Lawal said.
She urged service providers to ensure that their activities, publicity and fundraising practices comply with the Lagos State Child Rights Law and applicable child-protection and data-protection requirements.
The emphasis on safeguarding highlights a critical dimension of disability inclusion: providing care and support must also involve protecting people with disabilities from abuse, exploitation, violations of privacy and other forms of harm.
Accessibility Must Be Built Into Service Provision
The forum also examined the physical and institutional conditions in which Persons with Disabilities receive services.
The Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Orientation, Dr. Funmi Adekola, facilitated a session titled “Creating Safe, Accessible and Inclusive Homes and Centres for PWDs.”
The session focused on the need for residential facilities and service centres to be accessible, safe and responsive to the diverse needs of Persons with Disabilities.
For disability service providers, this means considering accessibility not simply as physical infrastructure but as part of the overall quality of care and service delivery.
Facilities that serve PWDs must therefore be designed and managed in ways that support safety, independence, dignity and participation.
Stakeholders Examine Protection Measures
Another session, titled “Safeguarding and Protection of Persons with Disabilities,” was facilitated by the Director of Medical, Rehabilitation, Appliance and Mobility Aids, Mr. Viavonu Folorunsho.
Folorunsho emphasised the importance of strict compliance with the provisions of the Lagos State Child Rights Law, particularly in protecting children with disabilities who may depend on residential homes, caregivers and service providers for essential support.
The sessions were highly interactive, allowing participants to share experiences, raise concerns and seek clarification on challenges affecting the provision of services to Persons with Disabilities.
The discussions reflected the need for service providers, government agencies and other stakeholders to work together to identify gaps in service delivery and strengthen mechanisms for protecting PWDs.
Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Disability Inclusion
Representatives of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment; Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board; and the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) were among stakeholders present at the forum.
Their participation reinforced the need for disability inclusion to be addressed across multiple sectors, particularly where disability intersects with education, employment, justice, safeguarding and social protection.
Source: Inclusive News Network
