Nigeria – IMM situation

IMM name: National Commission for Persons with Disabilities

IMM type: New established entity

CRPD ratification date: 30 March 2007

IMM legal framework: Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018

Nigeria ratified the CRPD on 30 March 2007, after stakeholders' consultative meetings where the issues were put on the table and discussed broadly, and suggestions were made on the way forward; Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 was adopted to establish the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities. The IMM is a national institution with broad mandates with members drawn from ministries, departments, agencies, and other CSOs to form the council of the organization. It also has cohesive powers of enforcement. The Independent Monitoring Mechanism is part of a Monitoring Framework consisting of other entities: Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (Parent Body), National Human Rights Commission (Monitoring Entity), Federal Ministry of Justice (Legislation), and the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD).

The mandate of the Independent Monitoring Mechanism extends to all parts of the State, to be able to supervise and also contribute to the implementation of the content of the Convention. The IMM is also mandated with the following functions:

• Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, including through education, outreach, the media, training and capacity building          
• Protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, including by receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints, or by mediating conflicts and monitoring activities and reporting;
• Monitoring the implementation of the CRPD.

The IMM undertakes investigations on the rights of persons with disabilities and has undertaken studies on the accessibility of the architectural environment in the Social Assistance Directorates in the country.

Participation of persons with disabilities in the monitoring process:

The IMM’s membership is composed of persons with disabilities and representatives of organisations of persons with disabilities. There are several employees with disabilities, and even by law, the executive secretary must be a person with a disability. Furthermore, women with disabilities and their representative organizations participate in the membership and managerial functions of the independent monitoring mechanism or framework. In terms of the process of selecting and appointing members to the IMM, the selection is done from the civil society organizations, membership of the disability organization and the representative of the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Persons with disabilities and their representative organisations participate in the monitoring process. They take part in the decision-making process of the Independent Monitoring Mechanism - they have a voice and the right to vote. Furthermore, persons with disabilities monitoring their rights may submit findings or allegations of human rights violations to the Independent Monitoring Mechanism.

Note: If you wish to rectify or provide more information regarding your IMM, please contact ohchr-CRPDIMM@un.org