Catherine Edeh

Catherine Edeh is Nigeria's first deaf female lawyer. She is an activist for disability rights. Edeh is the first deaf female lawyer in Nigeria. Edeh started the Voice of Disability Initiative (VDI). She is the founder and Executive Director. She went to Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, University of Ilorin, and University of Minnesota.

Edeh was born in Enugu, Nigeria. She became deaf when she was five. Her parents wanted her to quit school and learn to be a seamstress or hairdresser. Edeh wanted to stay in school. She braided people's hair to save up money to go to college. She went to Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, and learned sign language there. She studied at University of Ilorin, in Kwara State. Edeh then studied at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, USA.

Edeh noticed the amount of human rights violations disabled people go through every day. She wanted to do something about it. She believed that laws that protected disabled people needed to be put in place in Nigeria. Edeh got her Bachelor of Laws Degree at University of Ilorin. She was the only deaf person in her class. Edeh also studied in the U.S. She went to University of Minnesota.

Edeh is the Executive Director of Voice of Disability Initiative. Their goal is to inspire disabled people, especially women. VDI also wants to protect the rights of disabled people.

Edeh has been helping deaf people go to the Enugu State University of Science and Technology. She did not have a secondary school near her home where she could study. She had to go far away for school. So, she wants a school deaf students can attend in the south part of Nigeria.

Edeh also works to protect deaf girls from violence. She works for better healthcare fir girls with disabilities.

Edeh married a deaf man to avoid being mistreated by a hearing husband.