The Network of Women with Disabilities, Africa (NEWDA), has intensified advocacy efforts urging the Government of Ghana to ratify the African Disability Protocol (ADP), describing the move as essential to safeguarding the rights, dignity, and inclusion of women with disabilities.
The advocacy campaign was launched in Accra during an inception and stakeholder engagement workshop organised in partnership with the Women with Disability Development and Advocacy Organisation (WODAO).
Inclusive News Network reports that Nigeria, like some other African Countries, ratified the African Disability Protocol in October 2023.
Speaking at the event, Co-Convener of NEWDA, Madam Veronica Denyo Kofiedu, said the initiative seeks to strengthen coordination among stakeholders and advance Ghana’s commitment toward ratifying the protocol. According to her, the project aims to bring together government institutions, civil society organisations, disability groups, media practitioners, and other stakeholders to promote inclusive national policy discussions for women with disabilities.
She stressed the importance of sustained collaboration in ensuring equal opportunities and meaningful participation of women with disabilities in development processes. “Together, we are building a stronger movement for inclusive development,” she said.
Also speaking, Prof. Augustina Naami, Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana and Co-Convener of NEWDA, explained that the network was established after women with different disabilities identified the lack of a unified advocacy platform for women with disabilities in Ghana and across Africa.
According to her, NEWDA was created to empower women with disabilities to collectively advocate for their rights, amplify their voices, and promote inclusion, equality, and social justice.
Prof. Naami noted that women with disabilities continue to face multiple forms of discrimination that limit their access to education, employment, leadership, and governance opportunities. She added that women with disabilities are also more vulnerable to gender-based violence and abuse compared to women without disabilities.
She acknowledged Ghana’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2012 and the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2006 (Act 715), but stated that existing frameworks do not sufficiently address the specific challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities.
“The African Disability Protocol recognises the vulnerabilities of women with disabilities, but it is yet to be ratified by the Government of Ghana,” she stated.
A representative of the Legal Department at Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that the ratification process had reached cabinet level and would soon proceed to Parliament for consideration.
The official explained that once cabinet approval is secured, the parliamentary memo would be transmitted to Parliament to complete the ratification process, expressing optimism that the process would advance soon.
The workshop also highlighted a one-year national project by NEWDA aimed at strengthening the women with disabilities movement and increasing public awareness about the African Disability Protocol through consultations, leadership training, media engagements, and digital advocacy campaigns.
The project, scheduled to run from November 2025 to October 2026, will engage Parliament, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, CHRAJ, disability organisations, and media stakeholders to build momentum for the ratification of the protocol.
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