I was opportune to give a speech on the SDG goals and how they relate to Autism awareness at the Shades of Life Foundation headed by Mrs Eziafakaku Nwokolo. Shades of life foundation is an organization created to provide services to families with Children that are neurodiverse.

You’ve heard about the SDGs, right? There are 17 of them that speak of the things that aim to transform our world, tackling issues like Poverty, inequality and poor quality healthcare and education. 

Five SDGs have to do with Autism awareness and inclusion. 

 The first is SDG3 which is Good health and wellbeing. Everyone wants to be in good health, right? Even though the environment may not be fit for us, everyone should experience good health and also have access to quality healthcare. Read that again- quality healthcare. 

Although, Autism cannot be diagnosed through blood tests like most diseases are, healthcare is still greatly involved. In this context, I’m talking about quality expertise in the healthcare sector. I heard something about therapists and psychologists claiming to be in the field, who have not obtained training that would make them fit in the sector; it’s terrifying because I can hire someone to help my brother and he/she won’t even know the basis of Autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders. 

This is what I suggest- every institution that practices medicine should have a basic knowledge of Autism or other disorders, despite whatever field you branch into. 

The other SDG is that of number 4- Quality Education. So, here’s the gist. There are tons of children on the street who have not had the privilege of attending a good school, and talk less of school. When I think about quality education in Autism awareness and inclusion, I think about years ago when my brother attended primary school, but never sat down in class.

I drew out one thing from that- there needs to be a special education sector in every school. Not every child learns the same way- people learn faster or slower than others, so there must be special educators who can help students who are struggling to learn the way they should. 

This is a call to action for all schools- one, all teachers should learn about various disorders, they should possess basic knowledge about disorders, for their own sake and also for the sake of the children who require special education. Additionally, this will be a great advantage for parents who need to know that their children belong in an institution. 

Another aspect of education is having affordable education; I would say free, but I don’t think it’s possible in my country, even though some countries are focused on free education. Everyone knows that special needs can be very financially difficult to manage. This is another call to action. if you can help institutions that specialize in the education of Neurodiverse people, or you know a special needs family, extend love and care. 

Thirdly, SDG 8 which is Decent work and economic growth; every person has the right to great work and good pay. There is a general misconception that people with Autism are not very “bright”. Meanwhile, they have the potential to be whatever they can be. Because of this misconception, not many organizations will give them a chance which hinders their opportunity to decent work. People in the hiring agency should be able to hire someone with Autism. Additionally, if you’ve hired someone with Autism, you may also need to create a stable and good environment for them to do their work. Persons with Autism have sensory overload which could lead to meltdowns or potentially shutdowns. This is your cue to learn more. Ask yourself this question. “are you hiring people who are Neurodiverse or are you discriminating against them?”

Fourthly is the SDG10 which is reduced inequalities; we have all faced discrimination in the past and it was a gut-wrenching thing. People with special needs face discrimination throughout their lives- they are termed as “unattractive, lazy..” and this hinders their growth. I want to live in a world where there is no form of discrimination and everyone is respected for who they are. 

Finally, SDG17 is about global partnerships; although I have faith in my country, I believe that every country should collaborate, not only with other countries but with organizations. Sometimes, great things cannot be achieved alone. A great area I think we need help in is the education of the general public about neurodiversity, especially in rural areas. 

Let’s bring up policies- national or international that bring about inclusion and not exclusion. 

Think about it- don’t you want to live in a world where there is quality education for persons with a disability/ special needs; a world where there is no discrimination, a world where people with diversity can be hired and be paid for what they know how to do best. A world where we can all understand special needs and include them in all aspects of our lives. 

Let’s be Neurodiverse-friendly, shall we?

Shades of Life foundation is doing a great work with advocacy and inclusion. Please donate to encourage the good work. You can donate anytime you like, using this link