Accra, March 31, GNA – Madam Theodora Williams Anti, Executive Director, Foundation for Security and Development in Africa, says that many young people with disability have dropped out of school due to the inaccessibility of educational facilities.

“We know that per the Disability Act, all public institutions and buildings must be made accessible. Educational facilities in this country are not accessible to young people with disability. There are a lot of young people with disability who have dropped out of school because they do not have the facilities for their education,” she said.

Madam Anti said this at the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) workshop on Youth with Disability, an event which brought together CSOs, and stakeholders to discuss the challenges youth living with disabilities faced.

She said they also faced challenges in accessing healthcare, saying, they had no one to communicate to when they visit health centres.

“They have no one to help them to share their concerns with medical officers, let alone understand the medicines they have to take and all that,” she added.

Mrs Anti said youth with disability were not mobilised so it made it difficult for them to be identified among the larger Persons with Disability (PWDs) group for their specific needs to be addressed.

She said this made them very marginalized, especially those who were not educated, as compared to other PWDs.

“The way forward is for us to get policies, planning and also to get more CSOs that are youth focused, especially to plan for young people with disability, both at the community level and the government level. And to plan for youth with disability more. Because as it stands now, they are just not catered for,” she added.

Mr Joshua Addy, Regional Officer, National Council for Persons With Disabilities, said when persons living with disability were given an opportunity and support, they contributed meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the country.

He said the Disability Law was being reviewed to provide more opportunities for youth with disability for them to be represented and participate in national development.

GNA

Accra, March 31, GNA – Madam Theodora Williams Anti, Executive Director, Foundation for Security and Development in Africa, says that many young people with disability have dropped out of school due to the inaccessibility of educational facilities.

“We know that per the Disability Act, all public institutions and buildings must be made accessible. Educational facilities in this country are not accessible to young people with disability. There are a lot of young people with disability who have dropped out of school because they do not have the facilities for their education,” she said.

Madam Anti said this at the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) workshop on Youth with Disability, an event which brought together CSOs, and stakeholders to discuss the challenges youth living with disabilities faced.

She said they also faced challenges in accessing healthcare, saying, they had no one to communicate to when they visit health centres.

“They have no one to help them to share their concerns with medical officers, let alone understand the medicines they have to take and all that,” she added.

Mrs Anti said youth with disability were not mobilised so it made it difficult for them to be identified among the larger Persons with Disability (PWDs) group for their specific needs to be addressed.

She said this made them very marginalized, especially those who were not educated, as compared to other PWDs.

“The way forward is for us to get policies, planning and also to get more CSOs that are youth focused, especially to plan for young people with disability, both at the community level and the government level. And to plan for youth with disability more. Because as it stands now, they are just not catered for,” she added.

Mr Joshua Addy, Regional Officer, National Council for Persons With Disabilities, said when persons living with disability were given an opportunity and support, they contributed meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the country.

He said the Disability Law was being reviewed to provide more opportunities for youth with disability for them to be represented and participate in national development.

GNA