The Member of Parliament, (MP), for Klottey Korle Constituency in The Greater Accra region has advocated for Persons Living Disability to eliminate the barriers of stigmatization and discrimination against them.
The MP, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings in statement made on the floor of Parliament on the 2019 International Day of Persons with Disability marks today, December 3, 2019 stressed that, the only way to carry PWDs along is to empower them to take advantage of opportunities and work together to eliminate the barriers of stigmatization and discrimination.
According to her, when Ghana joined the rest of the world to adopt the global framework for sustainable development the Sustainable Development Goals, the country has pledged to “leave no one behind ”.
This pledge, she said, implies that “government and all other stakeholders must take steps to ensure the protection of the rights of PWDs and make investments to empower them with jobs, adequate healthcare, nutrition, education and skills, and social protection”.
Giving proper meaning to PWDs and related matters, Parliament in 2006 has passed the Persons With Disabilities Act, 2006 (Act 715).
The law makes elaborate provisions for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, persons with physical, intelleemal or emotional disabilities (PWDs) face social stigma as evidenced by inequalities in access to employment, education, healthcare and use of public places and facilities.
Dr. Zanetor, pointed out that, “despite constitutional and legislative guarantees on the rights of persons with disabilities, the laws have not been adequately implemented and they therefore continue to face discrimination”.
Since 1992, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) has been annually observed on December 3, around the world.
The theme for this year is ‘Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities and their leadership: taking action on the 2030 Development Agenda’.
The theme focuses on the empowerment of persons with disabilities for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development as envisaged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which pledges to ‘leave no one behind’ and recognizes disability as a cross-cutting issues, to be considered in the implementation of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
This 2019, observance of The Day at the UN Headquarters consist of an official opening, a panel discussion on new initiatives for disability inclusion, and a spotlight event on the theme of ‘Sport for all for peace and development’, which will be the opportunity to discuss sport as a powerful enabler of peace and sustainable development through the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Story filed by Edzorna Francis Mensah
