RE - ENACT PERSONS WITH DISABILITY ACT TO ALIGN WITH INTERNATIONAL TREATIES, PROTOCOLS - GFD URGES GOVERNMENT.
Disability Act
By EMMANUEL ADU GYAMFI
The disability movement in Ghana, led by the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), has entreated duty - bearers to re - enact the Persons With Disability (PWD) Act 2006 (Act 715) to align with international treaties and protocols.
On June 23, 2006, the Parliament of Ghana passed Act 715 to promote and safeguard the rights of individuals with disabilities in Ghana, ensuring their fair and meaningful participation in society at all levels.
The PWD Act in Ghana currently has several deficiencies including its inability to acknowledge inclusive education, and make provisions to protect the rights of women, children, and the elderly with disability.
Again, the Act fails to provide a clear definition of the concept of disability and does not embrace the evolving nature and understanding of disability, instead, it approaches disability from a charitable and medical standpoint.
This identified shortcomings, among others, underscore the necessity for a comprehensive review of the Act.
These were contained in a statement released and signed by Mr Joseph Atsu Homadzi, the National President, the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, to commemorate this year's National Day of Persons with Disability.
The Day, which is observed annually on 23rd June of every year since 2009, was set aside as the National Day of Persons with Disability
It was held on the theme, "amend the Ghana's persons with disability Act now : a step to realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)", with each year addressing specific issues related to the act and rights of PWDs.
"through this theme, the GFD aims to highlight existing gaps in Ghana's Disability Act and calls on duty - bearers to amend it to align with international treaties and protocols, including United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of PWDs of 2006, which Ghana rectified in 2012" he added.
Mr Homadzi indicated that the theme seeks to mobilise stakeholders to work collectively towards the effective inclusion of Persons with disabilities in achieving the sustainable development goals.
The National President noted that article 4 of the UN convention on the rights of PWDs emphasized the rights of individuals with disabilities and introduces a social model that recognises the existing barriers hindering their full and equal participation in society.
He said the convention on the rights of PWDs introduces essential concepts namely inclusion, reasonable accommodation, accessibility, universal design, and communication including sign language stressing "these concepts are absent from Act 715".
Mr Homadzi emphasised that although the government of Ghana made commitment to amend the PWDs Act during the global disability summits held in 2018 and 2022, progress in the amendment process, which started in 2013, has since not reach its final stage.
" the GFD calls upon the National Council on Persons with Disabilities, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, and the Attorney - General and Ministry of Justice to expedite their actions in amending the act with no delay" he added.
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