Ghana Marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Ghana celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 3 marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities and the theme for this year is “Achieving 17 Goals for the Future We Want”. We mark this Day in the wake of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the United Nations (UN). This global blueprint for action summons us to “leave no one behind” in the world’s development process.

This year marks 10 years since the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715). As an organization solely focused on the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) seeks to raise awareness about this Day and urge Government, Stakeholders, the media, persons with disabilities, and the general public to support the implementation of the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715) as well as the UNCRPD.
In September 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its related targets to guide the global development agenda for the next 15 years. Goal 10 target 2 of the SDGs focuses on promoting the social, economic and political inclusion of all persons including PWDs while Goal 16 target 7 advocates for responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. As the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary elections approach, the GFD will like to urge the Electoral Commission and relevant stakeholders to provide reasonable accommodation by making the voting centers, information and materials available and more accessible to PWDs as they exercise their franchise during the elections. Also, we encourage the general public and election officials to be receptive and allow PWDs to enjoy preferential treatment as is being championed by the Electoral Commission of Ghana. Whichever political party emerges victorious after the elections is also immensely encouraged to have an inclusive governance structure and system that will include PWDs. It is through these consciously planned interventions that we can ensure the full and effective participation of Persons with Disabilities in our national discourse.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities which falls on December 3 every year is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992 and has been celebrated with varying degrees of success around the globe. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
The Federation wishes to commend all persons with disabilities and our numerous development partners and donors for your continuous support to the Federation and the entire disability community in Ghana.
The GFD is a national umbrella of organizations of persons with disabilities in Ghana. It was established in 1987 with a mandate to advocate for total inclusion and effective participation of persons with disabilities in the Ghanaian society at all levels. Its seven national member organisations include, Ghana Blind Union, Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled, Mental Health Society of Ghana, Ghana National Association of the Deaf, Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism, Share Care Ghana – a group of people with auto-immune conditions and Inclusion Ghana – a group of people with intellectual disabilities. GFD also embraces other categories of PWDs including persons who are Deafblind, Little People, Burn Survivors and persons with Leprosy. GFD has branches in all the 10 regions in Ghana and in over 200 districts in Ghana.
Signed:
YAW OFORI DEBRA
PRESIDENT