Hellen Anurika Beyioku-Alase

Hellen Beyioku-Alase holds a Bachelor degree in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Abuja, Nigeria. She is Deaf and also a disability rights activist, a renowned advocate with over 10 years’ experience in implementing projects and creating awareness around Sexual and reproductive health and right of women with Disabilities especially Deaf women and girls in Nigeria. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Deaf Women Aloud Initiative (DWAI), an NGO aiming at amplifying the voice of Deaf women in Nigeria as well as raising awareness among general populations on sensitive issues that affect Deaf women and their children generally. She also serves as the National President of Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (DWAN) with Headquarters in Abuja. Hellen is an Alumni of the Mandela Washington fellowship(2021),under leadership in Civic engagement at Drexel University, Philadelphia USA,she also served as the Welfare Secretary of Mandela Washington Fellowship Alunmi Association of Nigeria (MWFAAN) A graduate of Disability, Sexuality and Rights Online Institute (DSROI) 2020, an Online Disability Institute, and 2016 Alumni of Women’s in Leadership and Disability (WILD) at Mobility International, USA. She is passionate about sensitive issues that affect Deaf Women and children with Disabilities, especially on maternal health care, sexual and reproductive health right and mainstreaming sign-language accessibility in Nigeria. Through her work, she has successfully empowered and implemented projects aimed at improving access to healthcare, inclusive services delivery and information for the Deaf people.etc. As a result of her works and contributions, she was nominated to participate as a panelist at the Global Disability Summit (GDS) under sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) which held in London in July 2018. She is was also, a member of the Ministerial committee on FCT’s Emergency Maternal, New Born, Child & Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition Activities in 2021. Hellen is a multiple gold medalist at national sports festivals, these includes the 2012 Eko national sport festival,where she won Gold medals in both shotput and javelin and Silver in Discus throws, also the 2021 National sport festival,in Edo state where she won Gold in shotput. Hellen has tirelessly worked towards amplifying the challenges of Deaf Women in accessing Health Services, Which majorly hinges on communication barriers. Through her works at DWAI, she was able to develop the first Sign language Glossary on sexual and reproductive Health which have been distributed in all hospitals around Abuja. In recognition of her numerous achievements, Hellen was was featured by the US department of State publication because of her tireless efforts in sensitization and mobilization of deaf women to vote at 2023 general Election. She was recently invited to participate at the just concluded 68th Commission on the status of women (CSW68) as a panelist at the United Nations Headquarters,New york, March 2024. Her projects have helped many Deaf women make informed decisions about their healthcare.