Disability Right Fund meets Ghanaian project beneficiaries

The Disability Right Fund (DRF), a US-based disability right organisation, has engaged its beneficiaries in Ghana to review projects being implemented; achievements chalked out and technical support required to enhance their work.

The two-day meeting is also seeking to examine the level of implementation of policy action on the new inclusive education policy of 2014, to ensure that disabled children have equal access to quality education.

Mr Medi Ssengooba, Programme Officer for DRF Africa is leading the team and moderating a panel discussion on participation and advocacy of disabled people organisations on the review or repeal of the Ghana’s persons with disability (PWD) act to comply with international standard.

The discussion also covers litigation as a tool to promote enjoyment of rights of persons with disabilities in Ghana; rethinking legal and strategic litigation as well as the media role in supporting PWDs activism.

Mr Ssengooba said the challenge facing PWDs is that parents over protect their children with disability, which at times hamper the ability of their offspring to develop and nurture their talents and fit well in the society.

“Parents over protect children with disabilities, they want to wash their hands for them, they think the children should not go to school because they would be abused,” he said.

Mrs Rita Kusi Kyeremeh, Executive Director of Ghana Federation of the Disabled said the Federation had engaged in a number of regional and national consultations on the review of the disability act to ensure that PWDs are fundamentally protected under the law.

She said: “We will ensure a more inclusive and comprehensive document is developed to guarantee the full rights of persons with disabilities in Ghana.”

“Looking at the gaps in our act and the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, we need to make the necessary changes to ensure congruence.

“Our responsibility is to make sure that all that are needed to make Ghana an inclusive society are done,” she added.

DRF supports Disabled Persons Organisations in the developing world to take the lead in advocating the human rights of persons with disabilities at local and national levels.

Since 2008, the fund has given out $922,488 to 50 organisations to provide various support services in diverse fields to make life better for PWDs.

The fund in 2014 provided about $109, 500 to about eight organisations in the country and has in 2015 opened applications for more disbursement of the fund.