UNODC Advocates Inclusion of PwDs in Crime Prevention and Security Strategies 

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has called for stronger inclusion of persons with disabilities (PwDs) in Nigeria’s crime prevention and security strategies, warning that exclusion weakens national responses to transnational organised crime.

This call was made during a Stakeholder Dialogue on Crime Prevention and Transnational Threats, held at the UN House in Abuja as part of activities marking the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).

In his opening remarks, the UNODC Deputy Representative, Danilo Campisi, emphasized that disability inclusion must move beyond symbolic recognition to become a core component of policy design, data collection, and implementation.

He noted that inclusive governance is a human right and a prerequisite for sustainable development and effective security frameworks.

The dialogue brought together representatives of government ministries, disability-focused institutions, civil society organisations, international partners and the UN system.

Participants included officials from the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, disability rights groups, and associations representing persons with hearing and visual impairments.

Campisi highlighted UNODC’s ongoing efforts to promote disability inclusion in Nigeria, including a disability inclusion workshop held in December 2024 for UN staff and national partners, as well as outreach engagements with disability organisations to improve awareness on drugs and crime-related issues.

Addressing the growing threat of transnational organised crime, the deputy representative noted that Nigeria continues to face risks from drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, arms smuggling and other illicit activities that undermine national security and social cohesion.

However, the impact of these crimes, he said, is not evenly distributed.

Citing data from the UN Disability and Development Report 2024, the UNODC disclosed that about 87 per cent of persons with disabilities in Nigeria live in multidimensional poverty, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation, recruitment and victimisation by organised criminal networks.

Despite these vulnerability, their experiences are often missing from crime prevention policies and national security discussions.

The dialogue was described as a critical step towards closing this gap.

Campisi explained that through UNODC’s Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention (GLOTOC), it supports countries in developing inclusive national strategies against organised crime in line with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC).

He noted that UNODC has also developed a toolkit to help governments’ mainstream gender and human rights, including disability inclusion, into crime prevention strategies.

Participants were informed that insights from persons with disabilities and their representative organisations would directly inform Nigeria’s emerging national strategy against organised crime, including its objectives, implementation framework and monitoring mechanisms.

The UNODC Deputy Representative stressed that effective security strategies require listening to those most affected by crime.

He urged policymakers and institutions to ensure that the voices of persons with disabilities are embedded in national responses—not as a formality, but as a necessity for justice and effectiveness.

The UNODC reaffirmed its commitment to disability-inclusive justice and security systems, aligned with the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy, Nigeria’s Disability Act of 2018, and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions.

On his part, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, noted that: “This dialogue could not have come at a more appropriate time. It aligns with the commemoration of the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with the theme: ‘Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.’ This theme reminds us that true social progress is impossible without deliberately protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring that no one is left behind.

“We must never forget that PWDs are disproportionately affected by organized crime. They already face multiple barriers — physical, attitudinal, cultural, and institutional. Many experience social exclusion, unemployment and limited financial opportunities. These conditions create vulnerability, making them more likely to be targeted or manipulated by criminal networks.”

He noted that PWDs particularly women, girls and children with special needs are often the worst-affected victims of organized crime and transnational threats, lamenting that their vulnerabilities expose them to exploitation, manipulation and violence in ways that are deeply troubling.

Stakeholders at the meeting expressed optimism that sustained engagement and inclusive policymaking would strengthen Nigeria’s response to organised crime while protecting the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.