By Mayowa Adeniran |
As climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of natural disasters across Nigeria, vulnerable populations remain at the highest risk. In a decisive step toward ensuring no one is left behind, the Hope Alive for Possibilities Initiative (HAPI) has launched a targeted initiative to equip young girls with disabilities with critical skills in climate action and disaster response.
The organization hosted a One-Day Capacity Building Training on Climate Resilience and Disaster Preparedness for young girls with disabilities in Abuja. The workshop focused on equipping participants with the knowledge, practical tools, and confidence necessary to navigate, adapt to, and survive climate-related emergencies.
Implemented in partnership with the Global Youth Mobilization and funded by the European Union, the initiative forms part of a broader mission to build an inclusive society. The program seeks to ensure that persons with disabilities especially women and youth are actively integrated into national climate governance and disaster risk reduction frameworks.
Bridging the Climate Action Gap
The event drew an array of participants, including young girls with various disabilities, climate experts, development practitioners, and civil society stakeholders.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, the Executive Director of HAPI, Aver Akighir, who was represented by Programmes Intern Agyesopa Isaac Onyatikpo, emphasized the urgency of reinforcing disability-inclusive emergency strategies. He noted that institutional barriers often cut off vulnerable groups from life-saving resources during environmental crises.
“Across Nigeria, climate-related emergencies continue to disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, particularly persons with disabilities, who often face barriers in accessing information, services, and support during emergencies,” Akighir stated. “We are grateful for your presence and commitment to strengthening inclusive responses to the growing impacts of climate change and disasters within our communities.”
Building Long-Term Governance and Policy Advocacy
The initiative is designed to be more than a one-off seminar; it serves as the foundation for regional civic engagement. Mercy Jovkyundan, the Program Officer for HAPI, explained that the training is a vital piece of a larger regional strategy aimed at amplifying the voices of marginalized youth across North-Central Nigeria.
“This event is part of our broader effort to strengthen the capacity of young people with disabilities to influence climate governance in North-Central Nigeria,” Jovkyundan stated. “From our previous engagements with young girls with disabilities, we discovered a need to build their capacity on climate change issues. This will support them to participate in climate negotiations and equip them with the tools required to engage government institutions and advocate for inclusive climate policies and programmes.”
To bridge this gap permanently, HAPI announced plans to facilitate direct dialogues between these newly trained advocates and key federal institutions, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Furthermore, the organization revealed upcoming plans to launch a National Climate Negotiation Programme to prepare youth with disabilities for high-level representation at future international climate change conferences.
Challenging the Exclusion of Vulnerable Groups
Lead facilitator and prominent climate researcher, Dr. Tine Agernor, delivered a sharp critique of current climate defense frameworks, noting that emergency planning frequently overlooks the unique realities of women and girls living with disabilities. He argued that sustainable environmental progress is impossible without systemic intersectionality.
“It is imperative that women and girls with disabilities receive climate education and are actively involved in climate action,” Dr. Agernor urged. “It is disheartening that persons with disabilities, especially women and girls, are often left out of climate policies, planning, and response efforts. We must intentionally include them in climate action to achieve truly disability-inclusive climate responses.”
Transformative Impact: Voices of the Participants
For the attendees, the training provided both life-saving safety skills and a newfound sense of civic agency. Participants expressed that the workshop dismantled barriers to information that historically kept them isolated from environmental conversations.
Divine Love, a blind participant, described the workshop as a turning point for her personal advocacy journey. “This programme has given me a better understanding of climate change and equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to advocate for greater inclusion of girls with disabilities in climate-related activities and policies,” she said.
For 16-year-old amputee Peter Happiness, the training offered vital, practical safety tips for real-world emergencies. She highlighted the importance of tracking early warning signals, maintaining emergency communication networks, and learning physical safety measures, such as avoiding overcrowded areas during sudden evacuations.
Echoing these thoughts, Susan Adams, a blind attendee, emphasized her commitment to stepping up as an educator within her local community. “I will use what I have learned to engage others in my community and promote awareness about climate change. I also intend to regularly monitor weather forecasts and continue learning more about climate-related issues,” Adams affirmed.
The training concluded with a unified commitment from the participants to establish themselves as frontline community advocates for disaster preparedness. Through targeted efforts like this, HAPI and its international partners are shifting the paradigm transforming young girls with disabilities from passive victims of climate change into empowered leaders of environmental resilience.
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