Parents of children with Down syndrome have been advised against hiding their children from public view.
Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria said it would foster confidence and independence in society.
CEO of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, Rose Mordi, made this call during an awareness campaign, themed “End the Stereotype,” held in Lagos.
Mordi stressed that the fight against stigma begins at home, where parental love and acceptance are crucial.
“I have always told parents that if you value what you have, nobody will stigmatise you. Unfortunately, some parents and elites believe that having a child with a disability does not fit their image, leading them to isolate their children,” Mordi stated.
She urged parents to embrace their children and give them opportunities to engage with society.
“If you don’t value what you have, society will not value it either. If you are proud of your child, society will have no choice but to accept them. Isolating them only condemns them to dependency,” she added
Mordi stressed that stereotypes surrounding Down syndrome often stemmed from ignorance and superstition.
“We need to create awareness to help people understand that there is nothing wrong with children born with Down syndrome. They are like any other child, with the only difference being an extra genetic material that may cause them to develop at a different pace,” she explained.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Office of Disabilities Affairs, Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, expressed the state’s commitment to improving the welfare of individuals with Down syndrome.
She assured that the government is working towards providing one per cent employment for persons with disabilities, in line with the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018.
“At the state level, we do not discriminate against anyone. We are actively implementing laws related to job creation and employment for people with disabilities,” Oyetunde-Lawal, represented by an official, Kelani Tolu, stated.