The Voices of Women and Children with Disabilities in Ghana (VOWACGhana) has called on the government to implement initiatives to combat stigma and discrimination against girls with disabilities and ensure they remain in school.
Marking the International Day of the Girl Child, VOWAC Ghana emphasised that girls in special schools are particularly vulnerable to period poverty and recommended the provision of menstrual hygiene kits to help them manage menstruation and stay in school.
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The statement also highlighted the need for training service providers, schools, health, and government sectors to foster inclusion and reduce disability-based discrimination. It called for adequate budget allocations, accessible communication channels, and hotlines within the justice system that incorporate audio, text, sign language, and visual functionalities to enable victims to report abuse safely.
VOWAC Ghana stressed the enforcement of the Ghana Accessibility and Building Standards to ensure accessible washrooms and facilities, crucial for keeping girls with disabilities in school.
The organisation noted that despite Ghana’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other legislations, girls with disabilities remain among the most marginalized and vulnerable groups in the country due to their gender, age, and disability.
VOWAC Ghana urged the government, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the National Council on Persons with Disabilities, development partners, and the United Nations to address systemic barriers, inequalities, and unfair treatment faced by girls with disabilities in Ghana.
