The disability movement in Ghana, led by the Ghana federation of disability has called on the Electoral Commission, political parties and all relevant stakeholders to consider putting measures in place in order to make Ghana 2020 elections more inclusive with persons with disabilities.
According to them, even though Ghana has made progress over the years to have an inclusive governance process, with persons with disabilities in Ghana continue to face challenges in participating fully in election.
In a statement issued by the movement to commemorate the national day of Persons with Disability, they bemoaned non-inclusion of PWDs in electoral processes continue to disenfranchise its members.
They said “since 2009, June 23rd has been commemorated annually as the national day of persons with disabilities by civil society under the themes that promote inclusion and participation of person with disabilities in all endeavors including education, employment and government. As Ghana goes to the polls this year the focus on this day dwells on political participation of persons with disabilities and inclusive election”.
The persons with disabilities wants the following to be executed before elections,
- Ensure that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy to understand and use by all categories of persons with disabilities including persons with intellectual disability, deaf blindness, and mental disability.
- Protect the rights of all persons with disabilities to vote by secret ballot in the elections, facilitating the use of assistive and improved technologies were appropriate.
- Incorporate disability related questions in their data collection tools in order to maintain an accurate data on different categories of the voter population of persons with disabilities
- Particularly, the media and national commission for civic education are encourage to make all information and services more accessible and available to persons with disabilities.
- Political parties are encourage to include and patronize disabilities issues in their manifestos.
- Civil society programs and activities should be disabilities inclusive and promote participation of persons with disabilities in election.
- Electoral commission should consult and involve persons with disabilities in all electoral programs and services that it delivers before, during and after the election.
- Collaborate with relevant organization of person with disabilities in the delivery of accessible electoral services across the country.
Person with disabilities remain active citizens and contributors to Ghana’s development.
National Day of persons with disabilities is celebrated on 23rd of June every year to commemorate persons with disabilities in all endeavors including education, employment and governance. As Ghana goes to the polls this year, the focus on this day dwells on political participation of persons with disabilities and inclusive election.
source:Ghana/Tamale/zaaradio.com/99.3fm/Kasir Bawumia and Abdul Rashid Safia