Triple marginalisation: The intersection of disability, poverty, and climate vulnerability in accessing quality education in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This article explores the complex intersection of disability, poverty, and climate vulnerability as compounding barriers to accessing quality education in Northern Nigeria, with a specific focus on Nasarawa State. While global commitments such as Sustainable Development Goal 4 emphasize inclusive and equitable education for all, children with disabilities in Nigeria continue to face entrenched marginalisation. This is further intensified by high poverty rates and the growing impacts of climate change, including floods, heatwaves, and school disruptions. Using a desk-based review of literature, policy analysis, and illustrative vignettes, the article demonstrates how these three dimensions reinforce each other to deny children their fundamental right to education. Key challenges identified include inadequate inclusive infrastructure, socio-cultural stigma, household economic constraints, and the lack of coordinated policy response across sectors. The article critically assesses existing responses by UNICEF, Nigeria’s Ministry of Education, and various NGOs, highlighting gaps in disability-inclusive climate resilience planning. Promising practices such as Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and inclusive disaster preparedness strategies are also discussed. Grounded in intersectionality theory, the Capability Approach, and principles of climate and educational justice, this paper calls for integrated policy planning, increased budgetary allocation, teacher training, parental support, and inclusive data systems. It concludes by reaffirming education as a non-negotiable right, emphasizing the urgency of localised, inclusive, and climate-resilient interventions. Unless urgent multi-sectoral action is taken, Nigeria risks deepening the cycle of marginalisation for its most vulnerable learners. The article offers both an analytical framework and practical recommendations for stakeholders committed to educational equity in the face of intersecting crises.

Keywords: Disability, climate change, inclusive education, poverty, educational inequality, climate resilience, educational policy.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0