The Executive Director of the Voices of Women and Children with Disabilities in Ghana (VOWACGhana) has highlighted shortcomings in the country’s social protection system, arguing that it is inadequate to holistically address the needs of persons with disabilities, particularly women and children.
According to Madam Juliana Afia Mahmood, the widely known 3% District Assemblies Common Fund allocation for persons with disabilities is woefully insufficient, both in terms of the overall amount and in its ability to reach all persons with disabilities who need it.
She notes that the fund simply cannot meet the needs of a population where persons with disabilities constitute over 8%, the majority of whom are women and children.
She contends that persons with disabilities, especially women, have significant needs stemming from their conditions, requiring more resources than the 3% allocation can provide, and therefore, urges the government to consider increasing the allocation so many can benefit.
Another social protection policy implemented by the government is the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme. This policy provides monthly stipends for vulnerable individuals in society, including persons with disabilities.
However, Madam Juliana Afia Mahmood points to inadequate funding, delayed disbursement of funds, and slow enrollment of beneficiaries as major setbacks in the policy.
She notes that it often takes more than five years for new beneficiaries to be enrolled, a situation she finds concerning, given that disabilities can arise from accidents and other unforeseen circumstances at any time. This leaves many people without any social support for extended periods.
Given the greater financial demands placed on persons with disabilities due to their conditions, she calls for special consideration regarding their stipend amounts and a more regular enrollment of beneficiaries.
She suggests setting up a dedicated fund for women and children with disabilities, as well as their caregivers, which would better serve their community and improve their lives and standard of living.
Madam Juliana Afia Mahmood made these observations in an interview with DisabilityNewsGH.com on the sidelines of a forum on the UN recommendations on Ghana’s disability rights progress.
The forum, held in Accra on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, brought together stakeholders to disseminate the recommendations of the UN Committee of Experts on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and to discuss engagements at the Conference of States Parties (COSP).
The forum served as an important platform to assess Ghana’s progress in fulfilling its obligations under the CRPD and to identify concrete steps for advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities.
The event was funded by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF).
SOURCE: DisabilityNewsGH.com