INTRODUCTION:
The District Director of CHRAJ, Mr. Brenard Atta Aziamanyo together with ‘SHE LEADS’ Ghana on Tuesday 21st June 2022 had an engagement with Girls with disability in the district, to educate them about their rights in society as disabled children. The program brought together about thirty (30) girls with disability from various communities across the district.
Mr. Brenard Atta Aziamanyo in his presentation highlighted the following:
- Reality of Disability
You are not alone in this condition in the world. 15% of the world population has experienced some form of disability which is One (1) billion people. Accurately, 10% are registered people with disability in the world which is six hundred and fifty (650) million in the year 2020. With this up to One hundred and ninety (190) million i.e. 3.8% are aged fifteen (15) years upwards. This was released on November 24th November 2021, by WHO.
In August 2018 World Health Organization realized that the most common disability is MOBILITY, which is One (1) in every seven (7) adults.
MAIN TYPES are:
- Impairment in the body structure – loss of limb, vision, etc.
- Activity limitation – difficulty seeing, walking, problem-solving.
LEADING DISEASES CAUSING DISABILITY:
- Arthritis and Rheumatism = 8.1 million.
- Back pain = 7: 6 million
- Heat Disease = 3 million
- Causes of Disability
- Poverty and Malnutrition
- Wars; in today’s times more civilians than soldiers are disability and most of them are women and children
- Accidents
- Poor access to Health care and Health Professionals in our Health institutions.
- Illness – Gonorrhea, Syphilis, etc.
- Medicine and injection
- General Picture of Children With Disabilities In Ghana
In Ghana three-point seven (3.7%) percent are PWDs which is five (5) million people, according to the August 2021 population census. Also, 2.8 million are of mental, which over one (1) hundred thousand with children aged 6 – 14 years; And 16,000; are out of school.
The major disability in Ghana
- Visually impaired
- Deaf
- Mental
- Intellectual
- Physical Challenged
The commonest among them in Ghana is the physically challenged or the disability in MOBILITY.
Girls With Disability In Bosome Freho
Most cases in Bosome Freho are mainly
- Mental Retardness
- Physically challenged
- Negative effect of Girls with Disabilities on victims
They are most vulnerable as they are victims of exploitation by the majority of society even some of their Male colleagues. Some of these acts are;
- Rape
- Defilement
- False marriages
- Neglect of responsibility by most of their parents and other Molestations.
These and other sexual exploitation are very common among girls with disabilities. Hence parents should pay more attention to them
- The Rights of P.W.Ds Guaranteed by 1992 Constitution
Rights are inalienable-Cannot be taken away from us. It also means that they are inherent- within us. We are born with them. Another implication of this is that laws enacted do not give us rights, but guarantee them, so we are not denied them by anyone, parent, group, institution, government, or state.
The 1992 constitution of Ghana guarantees several rights for every person in Ghana, which include GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES.
Among some of these rights is the right to personal dignity, liberty, right to protection from deprivation of property, right to a fair trial, right to privacy, and protection from slavery and forced labor. Freedom of Region, movement, Association, assembly, information, thought, the right to inherit parents, etc.
Article 17 (2) States clear the Freedom from Discrimination, which includes the Girl Child with Disability. According to the UNITED NATIONS CHARTER on human Rights, you have the right to marry and establish your own family.
ARTICLE 29 (1-8), specifically sets aside some special Rights to be enjoyed only by P.W.Ds which include Girls with Disability.
- Every disabled person has the right to live with their family and to participate in social and recreational activities.
- A disabled person shall not be subjected to differential treatment.
- The stay at any place of a disabled person shall be as close as those of his age being a normal person.
- Disabled persons have the right to be protected from all exploitation and treatment or discrimination.
- In a judicial proceeding in which a disabled person is a party, the legal procedures shall take his condition into account.
- As far as practicable every public place shall have facilities for disabled persons.
- Specials incentives shall be given to disabled persons engaged in business and also to business organizations that employ disabled persons.
It is there for important to respect persons with a disability because any of us could eventually become disabled at some point in our lives.
- Misconception
- Traditionally, people have some misconceptions about P.W.Ds. Among some of them are
- They are rivers gods (nsuo ba)
- They are cursed
- Need to use them as beggars
- They cannot go to school or Educated
- Some abandon them in orphanages or shun them
- Implication And Other Negative Effect
These misconceptions result in severe hardship on households from where some of these Girls with Disabilities come from and poverty. Some are thrown into rivers
Their precious lives are lost painfully. Others are kept in a room all their lives. Parents also spend their lives staying with them, denying them chances of any economic empowerment.
- What To Do As Parents And Other Safe Guarding Procedure.
- Look out for other parents like you, take care of P.W.Ds like your case, form associations, and take inspiration from them.
- Join hands with them. Be united, form an association in your area, and learn from each other- How they are coping, doing, living, etc.
- Enroll a Girl child with a disability in school. Look out for special schools, like JAMASI in Ashanti and Akuapim Mampong in the Eastern Region.
- Learning a trade to acquire skills; weaving, catering, bakery, sewing, hairdressing, decoration, playing instruments like guitar, organ,
- They can also become cashiers in shops
Some of them have special talents and gifts in sports, crafts, etc. Until you enroll them in school, you never will know how talented they are.
Some of them will turn out to be the face of the family because you educated him or them, all because disability is not an inability.
- Institutions to turn to in case they have challenges and need
Complaint And Support
- 1. CHRAJ – In most District Assemblies with FREE service on infringements on violations of rights. Report any nonmountaineer, neglect, child abuse, refusal to enroll n school, etc.
- LEGAL AID – Also in some selected District Assemblies. They take a token fee for services and are so free for the vulnerable complaints on any wrongful ACT against you to them.
- DEPARTMENT SOCIAL WELFARE – Also in all district assemblies. Just go and lodge complaints. They also take a fee for services.
- 4. DOVVSU – Walk to any police station to complain about any criminal act. Rape, Domestic Violence, Defilements, etc.
- THE COURT – Most of the districts in Ghana do have courts that receive cases of violation of your right and any civil or criminal case. Walk to the court and ask the Registrar and lodge the complaint at a FEE.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Mr. Brenard Atta Aziamanyo made the following recommendations
- Government should strengthen the LEAP to cover all the vulnerable in our communities and make it more regular.
- Efforts should be made by the government to effectively enforce the FCUBE program to ensure all children especially the GIRLS WITH DISABILITY are in school
- Institutions like CHRAJ in becoming Freho should be resourced with motor Bike etc. to be able to educate communities on the right disability persons. We are looking forward to your support in transport.
- Supportive NGOs should help pay medical bills for girls’ children with a disability. They should also be encouraged to focus on the Rural Areas.