Women with disabilities must be empowered to shape decisions — WODAO Executive Director

The Executive Director of the Women with Disability Development and Advocacy Organization (WODAO), Veronica Denyo Kofiedu, has called for sustained efforts to empower women with disabilities to actively participate in decision-making processes at all levels of society.

She said empowering women with disabilities to contribute meaningfully to governance and community development remained critical to achieving inclusive and equitable development in Ghana.

Mrs. Kofiedu made the call at the closing ceremony of a two-year European Union-funded project held at the GNAT Conference Hall in Ho, which brought together stakeholders to review progress and reflect on lessons learned.

The project, titled “Strengthening Civil Society Representation of Women with Disabilities in Ghana,” was implemented by WODAO in partnership with Sightsavers International and the ABAK Foundation, with support from the European Union.

It ran from May 2024 to May 2026 and focused on strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to promote gender equality, disability inclusion, and the participation of women with disabilities in governance processes.

Mrs. Kofiedu said the initiative had contributed to strengthening two co-applicant organizations and 23 downstream groups across the Volta and Oti regions, while mentoring 45 women with disabilities to engage in advocacy and decision-making.

“We have contributed to ensuring that women and girls with disabilities are not only seen and heard, but actively engaged in shaping decisions that affect their lives,” she said.

She added that the project also supported broader advocacy on gender equality, disability inclusion, and climate-responsive development at the grassroots level.

Programme Manager at Sightsavers, Mohammed Abdul-Razak, said the project reached over 2,000 beneficiaries and maintained strong performance throughout its implementation.

He urged government to expedite the passage of the Persons with Disabilities Bill and address employment barriers facing persons with disabilities.

Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, commended the partners for their collaboration, describing the initiative as an important contribution to inclusive development.

“Inclusive development is not optional—it is essential for national progress,” he said.

Volta Regional Coordinating Director, Alhaji Mohammed Avona Akape, also highlighted the importance of collaboration in sustaining development outcomes.

“Today we celebrate the progress we have made together. This project has shown us that when we work together, we can achieve great things,” he said, adding that continued partnership would be key to sustaining the gains.

A Project Officer of WODAO, George Kofiedu, said the project exceeded several of its targets, including training 122 civil society staff against a target of 75, reaching 586 downstream participants, and implementing 36 advocacy actions.

He noted, however, that challenges such as limited awareness of disability inclusion, resource constraints, coordination gaps, and accessibility barriers affected implementation.

Delivering a solidarity message, Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana, Dr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, stressed the need for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to advance disability inclusion and human rights.

He announced that Human Rights Reporters Ghana will host a high-level dialogue at RightsCon 2026, scheduled for May 6, 2026, at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia.

The dialogue, themed “Silenced Twice: Press Freedom and Disability Voices Under Threat in Africa,” will bring together journalists, disability rights advocates, policymakers, and digital rights actors to explore inclusive media systems, ethical reporting, and strategies to address digital exclusion.

Dr. Wemakor said the session will examine how media systems can become more accessible to persons with disabilities, strengthen their ability to tell their own stories, and generate practical recommendations to ensure inclusive digital transformation across Africa.

He emphasized that exclusion of persons with disabilities from public discourse undermines democratic participation.

“This is not just a media issue—it is a human rights issue. When voices are excluded, democracy itself is weakened,” he said.

Participants at the event reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the gains of the project and strengthening collaboration to promote inclusive development.

Source:HRR Ghana