Renew commitment to persons with disabilities
By the fact of our humanity, disability can become a part of anyone’s life at any time.
For this reason, championing the cause of persons with disabilities (PWDs), advocating better integration and inclusion for them, as well as making them an integral part of society, will be steps in the right direction and a matter of importance.
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Thankfully, today, the global community is celebrating PWDs with the aim of drawing attention to all their challenges.
December 3, each year, has been set aside by the United Nations (UN) as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities to celebrate PWDs and look at how far the commitment of governments and all citizens to ensure a satisfactory standard of life for PWDS has been achieved.
This year, the theme for the international observance is: “Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities and their leadership: Taking action on the 2030 Development Agenda”.
The 2030 Development Agenda consists of four parts, namely, political declaration, the set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets, the means of implementation and a framework for a follow-up and review of the agenda.
Ghana, for its part, is observing the day on the theme: “Disability inclusion in the Sustainable Development Goals: Renewing commitments and mobilising support from stakeholders".
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) leads the national commemoration with a forum at the Rehabilitation Centre, while fun games have also been planned for PWDS.
Indeed, the theme for Ghana’s celebration challenges us to revitalise our collective commitment to ensure the proper integration and inclusion of PWDs in the sustainable development of the country, with the SDGs as the overarching goal.
In so doing, the country must renew its commitment to ensure that no Ghanaian is left behind in any effort of development.
While we renew our commitment, we must also mobilise partnerships and support. Corporate Ghana must, therefore, in its social responsibility targets, also support PWDs through the MoGCSP and the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD).
The Daily Graphic is, however, disappointed that 13 years after the passage of the Disability Act 2006 (Act 715), we have all lost that commitment to make public buildings accessible to our brothers and sisters with disabilities.
The 10-year moratorium on the implementation of the act, during which time public buildings had to be made accessible, elapsed in 2016, with no concerted action at all.
We are appealing to the government not to renege on its responsibilities to make all public buildings accessible, as detailed in Act 715. In short, the MoGCSP must lead in galvanising support on these issues.
As the lead government ministry, we are of the view that the MoGCSP must get its act together to rekindle the passion with which the agenda was set to include everyone in the development agenda.
Indeed, two days before the observance of the day, a visit to the website of the ministry provided no information at all about the day, the national theme or activities planned.
However, we wish to commend the Ministry of Business Development for giving some start-up capital to support some female PWDS last week. In our view, the cash support must, however, be followed with technical know-how to grow small-scale businesses belonging to PWDS.
We do hope that Ghana's observance of the day next year will be better, with many more Ghanaians joining hands proudly to affirm a better commitment to advocacy and support for our fellow citizens with disabilities.