The UNFPA continues to deliver as part of its mandate in helping to achieve the goals of the SDGs as they work assiduously to ensure that no one is left behind in development.
The UNFPA remains committed to supporting government to explore innovative means to continue to reach women, adolescent girls and vulnerable population with essential social services and vital information amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
At an outreach and donations session to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) on Wednesday 17th June 2020, the UNFPA presented a host of items including PPEs and hygiene kits to support the various groups under the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD).
In a welcome address by the Executive Director of GFD, Mrs. Rita Kusi Kyeremaa noted that the federation has been working with its partners to ensure that PWDs are not left behind in the wake of this COVID-19 and to also ensure that there is accurate, relevant, inclusive and timely information for PWDs.
Mrs. Kusi Kyeremaa highlighted that the inability of PWDs to access information, exclusion of PWDs from Government programmes and the challenge of having to stay at home with their care givers is increasingly becoming worrying and as a result, the federation has informed the presidency on how best they can include PWDs in the emergency response programme.
UNFPA Deputy Representative, Dr. Agnes Ntibanyurwa, noted that COVID-19 aside being a pandemic which is having devastating effect on the society and more especially on vulnerable groups such as women, adolescent girls, refuges and PWDs is also threating efforts to achieve global and national Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) / Family planning targets, including the three UNFPA transformative results: Zero unmet needs for family planning, Zero preventable maternal deaths, Zero SGBV and harmful practices.
According to Dr Ntibanyurwa, the appearance of COVID-19 threatens to reverse gains made over the years in improving contraceptive use, prevention and elimination of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), domestic/ partner violence and other forms of abuses and harmful practices. She said the effect of the pandemic on vulnerable populations such as PWDs, is even more devastating due to the peculiarities of their impairment and the already existing inequities in accessing services. The inequities include access to public spaces such as high buildings without disability walkways and barriers in accessing public health measures. PWDs are also affected by the devastating social and economic dimensions of this crisis due to poverty and already limited jobs opportunities. Despite this pandemic, they still need to uphold their dignity and human rights, the reason for which UNFPA is providing them with the basic dignity kits and hygiene items such as face masks, hand sanitizers, soap, tooth brush and paste to mention just a few.
The event was witnessed by the representatives of the various members of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations. They are made up of persons with hearing impairment, persons with sight impairment, persons with albinism, persons with physical disabilities, persons with intellectual disabilities, persons with mental and psychosocial disabilities, persons with multiple disabilities.
Yawa Tigoe
Reporter, Voxpopulee
Gender and Youth Activist
priscillatigoe@gmail.com
