The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) has welcomed Ghana’s ratification of the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AUCEVAWG), describing the development as a historic milestone while calling for the full inclusion of women and girls with disabilities in its implementation.
According to the federation, Ghana became the second African Union Member State, after The Gambia, to ratify the Convention following parliamentary approval on July 30, 2026.
In a statement shared on social media, the GFD said the milestone must translate into concrete measures that address the heightened risks faced by women and girls with disabilities, who often experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
The federation noted that inaccessible services, stigma and communication barriers can make it more difficult for women and girls with disabilities to report violence, access justice and obtain appropriate support.
It further referenced concerns raised by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities during its 2024 review of Ghana, which, according to the federation, highlighted gaps affecting women and girls with disabilities.
The GFD called on the Ghanaian government, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to actively consult and meaningfully involve women and girls with disabilities and their representative organisations in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of measures under the AUCEVAWG.
The federation also urged authorities to ensure that violence prevention, reporting, referral, justice and support services are accessible and inclusive, including through reasonable accommodation and accessible information.
It called for greater attention to the specific forms of violence and discrimination experienced by women and girls with intellectual, psychosocial, sensory and physical disabilities.
The GFD further advocated stronger collection and use of disability-disaggregated data on violence against women and girls, saying such information would help inform effective policies and programmes.
It also called for frontline actors, including the police, health workers, social workers, justice sector personnel and service providers, to be adequately equipped to identify, prevent and appropriately respond to violence against women and girls with disabilities.
The federation stressed the need for shelters, survivor support programmes and other response mechanisms to be accessible to women and girls with different types of disabilities.
The GFD said Ghana’s ratification provides an important opportunity to strengthen efforts to end violence against women and girls, but emphasised that implementation must be disability-inclusive to ensure that no woman or girl is left behind.
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