FACICP Disability Plus, an NGO that works to promote disability inclusion in gender and development efforts, has launched the ‘Purple Corner’, a safe place for Women with Disabilities to discuss issues of Gender and Sexual Based Violence with the aim of getting the needed support.
Speaking during the launch, Ekaete Judith Umoh, Executive Director, FACICP Disability Plus explained that the ‘Purple Corner’ was set up as part of efforts to provide a Safe Space for WWDs to discuss issues of disability and sexuality as well as Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights.
Umoh disclosed that FACICP with support from Urgent Action Fund, Africa, had planned to organize a side event at Nigeria “Homegrown CSW to review the Beijing +25” where WWDs can have the opportunity to discuss issues on sexual health, while and set up the purple corner to take the conversation forward.
She thereafter explained that the urgent need to set up the Purple Corner became imperative as a result of the increase in SGBV cases during the COVID19 Lockdown with WWDs being majority of the victims and unable to get help.
Umoh explained that, “during the lockdown, FACICP set up an Online Situation Room where WWDs shared stories of how they were victims of one abuse or the other and they were unable to talk to people about it.
“Even those who shared their stories were subjected to further abuse and it was further traumatizing for many of these women.
“It is for this reason we have decided to set up ‘Purple Corner’….A safe Space for Orange Talks where WWDs can come freely to engage us and share their stories.” The Purple Corner seeks to apply an intersectional and Inclusive approach to addressing Sexual and Gender based violence faced women with and without disabilities.
“The purple Corner will support the Inclusive GBV response by mainstreaming disability into GBV interventions and services and will facilitate the promotion of the rights of women with disabilities while providing prompt support for WWDs victims/survivors of GBV,” she explained.
She added that the Purple Corner will be working closely with other organizations, including medical professionals, psychologist, counselors, wellness experts and be able to provide referral services and follow-up to help WWDs who are survivors to ‘heal’ adequately.
“The center shall mainly engage in documentation of cases of abuses, provide psychosocial support, make referrals, while operating a weekend wellness/healing clinic for women with disabilities who will need that service,” Umoh added.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Amina Salihu commended FACICP for the great initiative, which according to her is ‘one of a kind’. Dr. Salihu commended the choice of location of the Purple Corner, being situated in a semi urban and partly rural community which gives easy access to the facility for women and girls with disabilities including poor and vulnerable women .
She urged the Founder of FACICP Disability Plus to ensure that there is “Psychosocial support for the ‘Purple Corner’ team to keep their health and sanity, because of the series of cases they would be attending to.”
She ended by saying, “every girl and every woman needs support.”
Corroborating her, Ms. Inimfon Etuk of UN Women Nigeria/ AWLN Nigeria chapter commended the initiative by FACICP Disability Plus and promised to support and partner with the Purple Corner from 2021.
On her part, Ene Ede, CEO/Founder of Equity Advocate a gender expert and disability advocate commended the initiative and the serene environment of the facility and urged WWDs to utilize the opportunity provided by FACICP through Purple Corner as a way of ending SGBV among the community.
Some WWDs at the event shared the stories of how they have been victims of sexual abuse and has been dieing in silence because of the fear of stigmatization, further abuse and misjudgment.
Participants at the launch commended the efforts of FACICP Disability Plus to provide the accurate support for WWDs.