30 MINUTES RADIO INTERVIEW ON THE ROLE OF NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (NGO) ON CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS [CASE STUDY OF ALL CHILDREN CHARITY INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION, BARNAWA, KADUNA]

30 MINUTES RADIO INTERVIEW ON THE ROLE OF NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (NGO) ON CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS [CASE STUDY OF ALL CHILDREN CHARITY INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION, BARNAWA, KADUNA] Introduction In Nigeria, just like any other countries in the world, the concern of people with disabilities is often secondary, therefore they are often marginalized. According to UNESCO Research (1993) more than 90% of children with disabilities in Nigeria do not attend schools. In 1993, the Nigeria government enacted the first and only piece of legislation on people with disability. The only “Nigerian with Disability Decree” was enacted to provide clear and comprehensive legal protection and security for Nigerians with disability, as well as establishment of privileges, guaranteed unclear this decree and other laws application to the disabled in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Despite the passing of the Decree, the situation of those with disabilities in Nigeria remains desperate, none of the programs set out in the decree have been implemented to any substantial degree. The live chances of disabled children are further impaired by a pervasive negative attitude towards those with disabilities parent of disabled children are often ashamed of exposing their children to the wider community. In addition to this, parents often see their child’s disability as means to earn money through begging and are therefore reluctant to relinquish this source of income (UNESCO Research, 1993). Definition of NGO A non Governmental Organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens group which is organized on a local, national or international level. It is a task oriented and driven by people with a common interest. NGOS perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to government, advocation and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information. It is a legally constructed organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any form of government. (www.wikipedia.org). Non governmental organization includes many group and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of governments and that have primarily humanitarian or cooperative rather than commercial objectives. They are private agencies in industrial countries that support International development, indigenous groups organized regionally or nationally and member groups in villages. NGOs include charitable and religious associations that mobilize private funds for development, distribute food and family planning services and promote community organization. They also include independent cooperation, community association, water-user societies, women groups and pastoral association. Citizen groups that raise awareness and influence policy are also NGOs (World Bank Organization, 2009). Therefore, a non governmental organization refers to an organization that is not based on government and not created to make profit. It is a non-profit making voluntary service oriented/developmental organization either for the benefit of members (a grass root organization) or for other members of the population.  History of Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) The term NGO came into popular usage at the end of the Second World War The United Nation sought to differentiate between inter-governmental specialized agencies and private organizations. The first International NGO was the “Anti-slavery Society” (1839), other early NGO that grew out of wars including the “Red Cross” in the 1850s, “Save the Children” after World War I and “Oxfam and Care” after World War II. Some well-known NGOs include “Medicines Sans Frontiers” (Medicine without border), “Amnesty International” and “World vision”. The “Bill and Melinda Foundation” is now the world biggest NGO, with an endowment of £28.8 billion. Bryant, (1993). Today, some NGOs prefer the term “Private voluntary Organization” (PDO), Civil Society Organization (CDO), Community Based Organization (CBO) or Environment and Development Organization (EDO). According to P.J. Simmons (1995) the ultimate goals of non-governmental organizations are to “improve understanding, influence agendas, influence policies, implement policies, and to solve government inadequate actions. And they do so through advocacy, information gathering and analysis information dissemination, generation of ideas and recommendations monitoring and watch dog role, service delivery, mediation and facilitation and financing and grant making. NGOs operate at the community level and also at the National regional, sub-national and international levels, Simmon, (1995).