Cape Coast, Aug 28, GNA – The Ghana Federation of Persons with Disability (GFPD), has appealed to parents of children with disabilities to seek immediate legal redress for their children when they suffer any form of abuse.
The rights of such children, like any other Ghanaian, were guaranteed in the 1992 Constitution and must be protected at all times, therefore, parents must speak up and desist from covering up cases involving their wards for fear of stigmatization.
“The fundamental human rights of persons with disability and as citizens of Ghana must not be trampled upon by any person because of their conditions, but must be reported to the appropriate State institutions quickly”.
Nana George Frimpong, Central Regional President of GFPD, made the appeal on the side-lines of the Central Regional Child Protection Committee quarterly meeting organized by the Department of Children in Cape Coast.
He said it was their right to resist any attempt to force the children into activities such as rape, defilement, forced marriages, among others against their will.
Parents of such children, he said, must encourage them to be strong and persevere to attain something better in life.
Mr Frimpong also encouraged parents to cater for them well and show them love as they could be of immense blessing to the family.
Even though no parent wished to give birth to children with any form of disability, they should learn to accept them wholeheartedly no matter the conditions they were born with, because they were gifts from God for special purposes, he added
Mr Frimpong urged families to bond well and asked parents not to shirk their responsibilities, since the family, the most important human institution, was the basic and natural unit of society and played critical role in a nation’s success.
Mr Frimpong reiterated the GFPD’s vision to promote an inclusive society for all persons with disabilities in Ghana as it hammered on its mission on their rights.
The Federation would also continue to influence policies, programmes and activities at the national and local levels to ensure member’s rights were not trampled upon.
“GFD champions engagements towards assuring the rights of persons with disabilities to access education, employment, health, economic welfare, recreation, the built environment, justice, information and governance.
“We work with our partners to advocate for a legislative regime which is sensitive to all persons with disabilities in Ghana and beyond,” he added.
GNA