Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) in partnership with Ford Foundation have launched a report on the importance for government, donors and other stakeholders to stay committed to mainstreaming disability inclusion across all policies, programs and interventions being implemented in the country.
Given the context and challenges, there is the needed to map out the various practices and interventions as well work on the issues of disability.
According to the report; this gives an evident based understating of the nature and scale of disability related exclusion in the country and to know what works to prevent exclusion of Persons with Disability (PWDs).
Furthermore, the report outlines the necessity to map out interventions and actors working on the issues of disability as well as aimed at enhancing policy and conditions of PWDs in Ghana.
It also identifies some key state and non-stated actors that addresse issues of PWD exclusion in the country.
The report funded by Ford Foundation is dubbed: “Enabling the Disabled: A mapping report on disability interventions in Ghana.
Mr. Benjamin Boakye, the Executive Director at (ACEP) in his welcome address explained that “their aim is not to occupy space, but to see how to add-up and to enable everyone in society to have equal access to enjoy state revenue; that is derived from the country’s energy.
The Executive Director said whiles efforts are being made towards inclusion, several factors impede stakeholders in implementing interventions to support PWDs in the country.
Outlining some challenges, he cited inadequate funds, limited research into disability issues, limited participation of PWDs in the planning of these interventions leading to poorly planned interventions among others.
Mr. Kodzo Yaotse, Policy Analyst at (ACEP) in his presentation said the aim for the report is to “find out what is happening and who is doing what in the various sectors and to expand on how donors can focus on what to do to improve lives of (PWDs).
Explaining that “we wanted to understand the landscape, how things work and show some interventions made by stakeholders in some special areas like: health, education, livelihood and employment, social inclusion and empowerment, advocacy and governance”
Mr. Yaotse said the report is centered around roles played by some key stakeholders on disability issues in Ghana which are Ministries, Departments and Agencies; National Council for Persons with Disability; the Ghana Federation of Disability Organsations among others.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com/ Delali Gavor
