By Hannah Awadzi
Accra, Oct. 13, GNA – The Voices of Women and Children with Disabilities in Ghana (VOWACGhana) has called on the government to provide initiatives to combat stigma and discrimination against girls with disabilities.
The government should commit to support girls with disabilities especially those in special schools with menstrual hygiene kits to manage menstruation and keep them in school as they are more prone to period poverty.
A statement issued by VOWAC Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency to mark the International Day of the Girl Child called for the training of service providers, schools, health and government sectors to combat disability-based discrimination and foster inclusion.
“We recommend that adequate budgetary allocation with corresponding disbursement is made available for the implementation of all programmes, projects and activities. It is also important that accessible communication or hotlines be setup within the justice delivery system with audio, text, sign language and visual functionalities as a means through which victims/survivors can report their issues.”
The statement said the Ghana Accessibility and Building Standards must be enforced to ensure accessible washrooms and places of convenience to keep girls with disabilities in school.
The International Day of the Girl Child is commemorated on the global theme “The Girl I am, the change I lead Girls on the frontlines of crisis’’.
VOWAC Ghana said his theme called for the recognition and support of girls including those with disability to take up leadership roles, be resilient, independent and be able to drive change at all levels.
It said despite the fact that Ghana has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other legislations, girls with disabilities remain one of the most marginalised and vulnerable groups in Ghana as a result of having a disability, being female and a child.
The Voices of Women and Children with Disabilities in Ghana (VOWACGhana) called on the government of Ghana, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the National Council on Persons with Disabilities, Development Partners, United Nations and all stakeholders to address the systemic barriers and the profound inequalities and unfairness encountered by girls with disabilities in Ghana.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba