Episode 6: Intersectional disability justice with Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé, Women’s Health and Equal Rights Initiative

Content warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual and anti-LGBTQI+ violence.

In episode 6 Lydia Ayame Hiraide speaks to Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé about intersectional disability justice.

Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé is a young woman with a disability, who works and lives at the intersection of gender, disability, and sexuality. In 2022, she spearheaded a first-of-its-kind study into the lived experiences of LGBTQI+ persons with Disabilities in Nigeria with the Women’s Health and Rights Initiative (WHER).

Lydia Ayame Hiraide is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice. In this episode, Lydia asks Oyedayo about the WHER Initiative, the current legal and social climate for activism in Nigeria, and the importance of storytelling.

A brief explainer for the acronyms mentioned in this episode:

• UPR: The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States.
• UNCRPD: The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an international UN human rights treaty intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
• SSMPA: The Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA) was signed into Nigerian law in 2014. The purpose of SSMPA is described as prohibiting marriage between persons of the same sex – but its effects are much broader.
• CEDAW: The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly.
• End SARS: #EndSARS is a social movement and series of protests against police brutality from organisations such as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria.

Interviewer: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Interviewee: Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé

Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice

Recording, editing: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Additional editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Music:Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org;⁠Inn Ann⁠ by Daboor;⁠Snoopy⁠ by Sandy Chamoun