Advocacy and Behavioral Change for Incapacity Rights and Inclusion launched in Winneba

John Ninson, Acting Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Effutu, announced the convention’s pledge to support people with disabilities (PWDs) so they can earn a living.

He stated that such support, to make them economically independent, will help stop their ongoing stigma and discrimination.

Mr. Ninson affirmed in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after starting a project in Winneba called “Advocacy and Behavioral Change for Disability Rights and Inclusion (ABCD-RI)”.

It is implemented in the central region by the ABAK Foundation Ghana, a non-governmental organization (NGO).

The project, which seeks to improve the lives of people with disabilities and ensure their mental health by addressing their challenges, has benefited the Cape Coast Metro, Mfantseman Municipal, Gomoa West and Effutu Municipality districts.

It is part of a four-year disability program called “Ghana Somubi Dwumadie” with a special focus on mental health, which is being implemented in Ghana with funds from UK AID.

Mr Ninson, applauded the Foundation for helping the plight of people with disabilities in the area and called for stigmatizing them.

He pointed out that people with disabilities are endowed with many talents and urged them to get involved in programs and activities to contribute their quota with their skills and talents.

He urged people with disabilities to change their own futures by being productive and focusing on what they do and leading them well so that society doesn’t look down on them.

Earlier, Philip Duah, Executive Director of the ABAK Foundation Ghana said the foundation is an advocacy NGO committed to promoting equal opportunities for all citizens with the vision of a safer world with equal opportunities for all citizens.

Noting that there has been some positive progress in education and on an equal footing, he said that people with disabilities and their loved ones, caregivers and households also continue to face discrimination and social stigma and access to some services at the community level Suffer.

“There is still persistent stigma, negative attitudes and discrimination against people with disabilities, including mental disabilities; there are only a few possibilities to defend yourself against it “,

According to Mr. Duah, the project aims to ensure that people with disabilities in the selected constituency in the central region lead a comfortable life and reduce stigma and discrimination that persist in health, economic, social, environmental and political structures.

He urged community leaders to be ambassadors and use positive, non-discriminatory language towards them.

Attendees included imams, traditional leaders, PWDs, congregation members, social welfare officials, health workers, queen mothers, and religious leaders.