Media Urged To Promote Dignity, Inclusion In Disability Reporting

Disability rights advocates have admonished media professionals to adopt a rights-based approach to reporting disability issues. They emphasised that stories should uphold the dignity, rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities rather than evoke pity or sympathy.

The call was made during a media engagement on “Disability Inclusion and Responsible Reporting” organised by Sustainable Family Healthcare Foundation (SFHF), with support from Christian Blind Mission (CBM), in Abuja, yesterday.

At the event, disability inclusion expert and facilitator, Musa Muazu Musa, said journalists should focus on exposing barriers faced by persons with disabilities and advocating solutions instead of framing stories around sympathy.

He stressed the need for media coverage that challenges stereotypes, amplifies diverse voices and drives meaningful social change.
“The point of reporting disability issues should come from dignity, not sympathy. Journalists should report because there is an issue that requires attention and action, not because they want to attract pity,” he said.

Musa urged journalists to challenge long-held stereotypes by portraying persons with disabilities as professionals, leaders and contributors across various sectors of society.

He explained that disability inclusion extends beyond treating everyone equally, noting that true equity means providing individuals with the specific support they need to participate fully in society.

According to him, disability is not a homogeneous experience, as different disability groups have distinct needs and perspectives that deserve recognition.

He cautioned against using persons with physical disabilities as the sole representation of the disability community, stressing that persons with visual, hearing, intellectual and other disabilities should also be adequately represented in media reports and public discourse.

“When discussing disability, remember that each disability comes with different challenges. We must amplify these diverse voices rather than presenting only one category of disability,” he said.

Musa also encouraged media organisations to engage professionals with disabilities based on their areas of expertise rather than limiting them to discussions on disability-related issues.

“I am an accountant by profession. I should also be invited to discuss economic issues, not only disability. Persons with disabilities are professionals in different fields, and their expertise should be recognised,” he added.

He noted that responsible disability reporting should ultimately influence policy reforms and improve access to employment, healthcare, education, infrastructure and social protection for persons with disabilities.

According to him, most persons with disabilities are not seeking special treatment but equal access to opportunities, services and participation in national life.

Also speaking, disability rights advocate and media practitioner, Agbo Christian Obiora, stressed the importance of meaningfully involving persons with disabilities in policy formulation, programme implementation and media conversations that affect them.

He highlighted the barriers confronting persons with disabilities in politics and public service, attributing their low representation largely to societal stereotypes and discrimination.

Obiora lamented that despite the competence of many persons with disabilities, political parties often regard them as “not electable” because of public perception rather than their abilities.

He called for sustained public awareness campaigns to change negative attitudes and encourage greater political participation by persons with disabilities.

He also urged authorities to strengthen disability-related laws and policies, particularly those addressing the needs of persons with sensory disabilities, while encouraging Nigerians to regard persons with disabilities as equal partners in national development.

In addition, he appealed to journalists to use respectful and appropriate language when reporting disability issues and avoid expressions that reinforce stigma or discrimination.

Earlier, the Project Coordinator of the Sustainable Family Healthcare Foundation, Mary Sunday, said the engagement was organised to raise awareness of Nigeria’s disability law and strengthen the media’s capacity to advocate for its effective implementation.

She expressed confidence that improved understanding of disability inclusion among journalists would enhance public awareness and accelerate the implementation of policies aimed at protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.

The Sustainable Family Healthcare Foundation is an indigenous humanitarian non-governmental organisation dedicated to advancing the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, girls and families, while advocating for a fistula-free generation across Nigeria.