Foundation advocates inclusive policies for autistic persons

AS part of advocacy to commemorate the 2025 World Autism Awareness Day, Bethel Xafe Autism Foundation has called for inclusive policies for people living with autism and to ensure their parents can seek the needed care and support for autistic individuals.

The Foundation’s Founder, Dr Oluwatosin Akande, disclosed this at the Autism Awareness Conference by the foundation with the theme “Autism and Culture: Awareness and Acceptance”.

She said that inclusive policies and the right information and awareness would spur the attitudinal changes that would improve the quality of life of people living with autism, a condition that is most misunderstood and marginalized.

“While significant progress has been made globally in understanding and accommodating individuals on the autism spectrum, many African societies remain rooted in traditional interpretations that hinder acceptance and appropriate intervention.

“These myths foster stigma and discrimination, preventing families from seeking medical and therapeutic assistance. This conference aims to pioneer practical solutions that ensure early diagnosis, accessibility to education, and policy inclusion. Most importantly, an Africa where every autistic child and adult is accepted, supported, and empowered.

“While significant progress has been made globally in understanding and accommodating individuals on the autism spectrum, many African societies remain rooted in traditional interpretations that hinder acceptance and appropriate intervention.

 “These myths foster stigma and discrimination, preventing families from seeking medical and therapeutic assistance.This conference aims to pioneer practical solutions that ensure early diagnosis, accessibility to education, and policy inclusion. Most importantly, an Africa where every autistic child and adult is accepted, supported, and empowered,” she said.

MrsSolapeAzazi, an International Behaviour Analyst and an autism advocate in a remark said that with the right policy, identifying autistic disorder and providing an inclusive environment and support for the children would be easier.

“We have to start to identify cases of autism from when the children are coming in for their immunisation and provide intervention. This can only be achieved if our healthcare workers are well trained, so it goes back to policies whereby we’re educating the public health workers on things to look out for.

“Policies in our education system don’t accommodate a lot of inclusivity for children with autism. Inclusion goes beyond the physical structure, things like educational materials that are suitable should be put into consideration,” she said.

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Meanwhile, the Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Lagos Chapter, Dr Adeola Ekine, urged journalists to use their various platforms to create awareness that would foster inclusiveness and cultural acceptance for autistic individuals.

The Foundation’s Founder, Dr Oluwatosin Akande, noted that inclusive policies and the right information and awareness would spur the attitudinal changes that would improve the quality of life of people living with autism.