A training workshop on planning, budgeting and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) has been held for persons with disabilities (pwds) at Abesim, near Sunyani.

The programme, on the theme: “Empowering PWDs and local level officials for inclusive decision making and advocacy on Disability Instruments,” sought to build the capacities of PWDs in district planning, budgeting and the UNCRPD, to empower them to effectively engage with local level officials”.

It was organised jointly by the Local Governance Network (LOGNet), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with funding by the UNDP.

LOGNet is a network of Ghanaian Civil Society Organisations working to promote and deepen democracy and decentralization by empowering, especially vulnerable groups for their inclusion and effective participation in local governance.

Thirty selected participants, being leaders of various disability groups from the Sunyani, Wenchi, Techiman and Berekum Municipalities, as well as the Sunyani West and Tano North Districts, all in the Brong-Ahafo Region, attended.

Mr. Francis Asong, Director of VOICE GHANA, a Ghanaian NGO promoting the interest of PWDs explained that the UNCRPDs and its optional protocols came into being, among other reasons “in response to an overlooked development challenge for approximately 15 per cent of the world’s population who are PWDs”, adding that “approximately 80 per cent of PWDs live in developing countries”

Mr. Asong indicated the Convention is purposely ”to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all PWDs, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity”.

He said Ghana’s Parliament ratified the Convention in March 2012, stressing that “Ghana is required to show greater commitment to developing and implementing policies, laws and administrative measures to ensure the rights recognized in the Convention are fully enjoyed by all PWDs”.

Mr. Saaka Sayuti, National Coordinator of LOGNet, in an earlier slide presentation, gave the background of the pwds Empowerment Project, saying its objective among others “is to improve the capacity of PWDs in planning and budgeting processes at the district level”.

It is also “to empower PWDs and their associations to effectively engage their District Assemblies’ Officials and ensure that, issues that affect them become a development priority in those Districts”, Mr. Sayuti added.

Mr. Christopher K. Dapaah, Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinator of LOGNet, in another slide presentation, educated the participants on district planning processes.