Global Disability Summit calls for awareness on disability issues

Ms Gertrude Oforiwaa Fefoame, Ghana’s representative at the United Nation’s Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) has called on Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) to intensify awareness creation at all levels.

She said some government representatives or policy makers do not understand the role of the Disabled Persons organizations in the effective implementation of the CRPD, hence the need for continuous awareness.

Ms. Fefoame made the call at the opening of the Global Disability Summit, where disabled persons’ organizations and government has met to make commitments on the implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities.

The panel discussing was on the topic: “Implementation of the CRDP: What Civil Society sees is needed to achieve full and effective implementation.”

The Global Disability Summit seeks to raise global attention, mobilize new global and national commitments on disability inclusion and showcase good practice, innovation and evidence from across the world.

She said decisions should not be made on behalf of persons with disabilities, and parents of children with disabilities, but persons with disabilities must all be involved in decision making.

“Awareness creation will ensure that policy makers get it right,” she said.

Ms. Fefoame also expressed concern about how disability issues are fragmented in Ghana and called for a concerted effort to harmonize it.

Ms. Otiko Afisah Djaba, Ghana’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, who led a Ghanaian delegation to the summit, will later be making a statement on Ghana’s commitment to the implementation of the CRDP