A 2-year European Union funded project dubbed: “Strengthening Civil Society Representation of Women with Disabilities in Ghana” has been launched.
It was held on 23rd May, 2024 in Accra at the Best Western Premier Hotel, graced by representatives of Civil Society Organisations, government agencies, development partners and EU officials.
Speaking at the event, Mr David Agyemang, the Senior Programme Manager of Sightsavers Ghana Country Office, explained that the goal of the project is to build the capacity of the CSOs to enable them to participate fully in development and public affairs in their areas of operation.
“Sightsavers will build the capacity of two national CSOs, the Alliance for Better Advocacy and Knowledge (ABAK) and Women With Disability Development & Advocacy Organisation (WODAO) and support them to cascade the capacity building process to their 38 downstream CSOs”,
He added that “the project will work with downstream local member groups and community-based organizations to help strengthen capacities in relation to gender equality and the rights of people with disabilities” he added.
Program officer at Governance and Security Section of the EU Delegation to Ghana Mr. Jean –Pierre Bardoul noted that the EU Grant contract with Sightsavers, ABAK Foundation and Wodao is a good example of partnership whereby an EU-based organization and Ghanaian organizations can benefit from each other’s knowledge and expertise.
Highlighting on the commitment of the EU in promoting disability rights and inclusion, Mr. Jean-Pierre Bardoul indicated that, in 2021, the EU presented and adopted its new strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities for the period 2021-2030. He said that, the strategy’s objective is to ensure full participation of persons with disabilities in society, on an equal basis with others in the EU and beyond.
He said the EU is committed to ensuring that, persons with disabilities have the right to take part in all areas of life.
According to the EU representative, the funding support for Sightsavers and the ABAK Foundation Ghana forms part of EU’s financing for action in third world countries. He underscored that, European Commission regularly organizes calls for proposals which target civil society organizations.
Through the call for proposal mechanism, EU provides a helping hand to civil society organizations to implement their actions in a range of areas relating to the promotion of democracy and sustainable development.
In addition to the strategy, the EU has also adopted an action plan for human Right Democracy (2020-2024) as well as the EU Gender Action Plan III 2021-2025.
Mr. Jean-Pierre said that, these three documents lay out the EU’s ambitions to step up action, both within the EU and beyond, with the aim of combatting all forms of discrimination that persons with disabilities face.
Commenting on Sightsavers role in the project, Mr Agyemang stated that Sightsavers is an international organization that is committed to the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities in Africa and Asia.
“We empower civil society Organisations, especially organization of persons with disabilities to deliver positive change in their societies. This project is just another evidence of our commitment to supporting organisations of persons with disabilities”, he explained.
Mr. Philip Duah (Executive Director of ABAK Foundation Ghana) noted that, women with disabilities are the most marginalized in terms of seeking jobs, face higher longer median durations of unemployment, and have been particularly hard hit by the reduction in public-sector hiring.
The situation is even worse for young women with disabilities in rural areas. They do not only suffer in terms of restricted mobility, but they also face conservative social norms that further regulate their freedoms.
This situation coupled with stigma and discrimination worsen their plight living more women with disabilities excluded from participation in local governance and living up to their full potentials.
He was hopeful that, support from the EU through Sighsavers Ireland is a step for wider engagement for the promotion of Rights and Inclusion of people with disabilities especially women and girls with disabilities in Ghana.
