Disability and persons with disabilities

Compiled by Isaac Asare of GBC URA Radio,Bolgatanga

Introduction
Disability and persons with disabilities
Persons with disabilities are entitled to exercise their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights on an equal basis with others. Disability "summarizes a great number of different functional limitations occurring in any population in any country of the world. People may be disabled by physical, intellectual or sensory impairment, medical conditions or mental illness. Such impairments, conditions or illnesses may be permanent or transitory in nature." (Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities). Different expressions are used when referring to persons with disabilities. For example, the term "differently-abled persons" indicates that disability is not perceived as a deviation from the norm. The term "disabled persons" might be misinterpreted to imply that the ability of the individual to function as a person has been disabled. This guide uses the term "persons with disabilities", which is consistent with the language used by the United Nations (UN).
The UN estimates that there are 500 million persons with disabilities in the world today. This number is increasing every year due to factors such as war and destruction, unhealthy living conditions, or the absence of knowledge about disability, its causes, prevention and treatment.
The majority of persons with disabilities live in less developed countries including Ghana where people lack access to essential services such as health care. Moreover, there exists a clear relationship between poverty and disability. The risk of impairment is greater for a family that lives in poverty, while and at the same time, a disabled family member places higher demands on the family's resources. Among persons with disabilities, the following form particularly vulnerable groups that face discrimination based on two grounds: women, children, elders, victims of torture, refugees and displaced persons, and migrant workers. For instance, women with a disability are discriminated against because of their gender and also because of their disability.
Development of disability policy
The work of the UN constitutes the most important actions taken by an international organization in the area of disability. Based on the International Bill of Rights, the UN formulated the first specific document regarding disabilities in 1971 in the Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons. Important other documents followed but none of them are legally binding.
The 1980s mark the main phase of activity regarding establishing international norms pertaining to persons with disabilities. In 1981, the General Assembly declared the first International Year of Disabled Persons. It was followed by the World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons in 1982 and the Decade of Disabled Persons 1983-1992. Throughout the 1990s all UN conferences dealt with disability rights and addressed the need for protective instruments (World Conference on Human Rights 1993, Fourth World Conference on Women 1995, Habitat II 1996). At present, the Ad Hoc Committee on Disabilities is involved in a process to create a convention that protects disabled persons on an international level.
A high level of awareness is also demonstrated by the European Union, the year 2003 was declared as the European Year of People with Disabilities. Other important regional observances include the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002), the African Decade of Disabled People (2000-2009), and the Arab Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012).
Rights at Stake
Persons with disabilities suffer from discrimination based on society's prejudice and ignorance. In addition, they often do not enjoy the same opportunities as other people because of the lack of access to essential services.
International human rights law determines that every person has:
1. The right of equality before law
2. The right to non discrimination
3. The right to equal opportunity
4. The right to independent living
5. The right to full integration
6. The right to security
Policy regarding disabilities is often dominated by the notion of "equalization of opportunities", which means that society must employ its resources in such a way that every individual, including persons with disabilities, has an equal opportunity to participate in society.
Establishment of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities
On December 13, 2006, the United Nations formally agreed on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the first human rights treaty of the 21st century, to protect and enhance the rights and opportunities of the world's estimated 650 million disabled people.[8]
Countries that sign up to the convention will be required to adopt national laws, and remove old ones, so that persons with disabilities would, for example, have equal rights to education, employment, and cultural life; the right to own and inherit property; not be discriminated against in marriage, children, etc.; not be unwilling subjects in medical experiments.
In 1976, the United Nations launched its International Year for Disabled Persons (1981), later re-named the International Year of Disabled Persons. The UN Decade of Disabled Persons (1983–1993) featured a World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons. In 1979, Frank Bowe was the only person with a disability representing any country in the planning of IYDP-1981. Today, many countries have named representatives who are themselves individuals with disabilities. The decade was closed in an address before the General Assembly by Robert Davila. Both Bowe and Davila are deaf. In 1984, UNESCO accepted sign language for use in education of deaf children and youth. The use of the braille has also been of great importance to persons who are visually impared. With the aid of the braille, the visually impaired are able to read just like persons who have clear vision.
In Ghana, the fundamental human rights and freedom of persons with disability and the Mentally ill have been relegated to the background in all aspect of life. They face a lot of challenges that hinder their developmental agendas. In order to champion the cause of these unfortunate persons, to have equal opportunity to be actively involved in decision making processes and programs. This problems and challenges have necessitated the formation of the Network of journalists For the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities-Ghana Chapter. It is an organization under the non-political and non-profit making of the Network of journalists For the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities-Ghana Chapter.

Story on 2% Common Fund for Disabled
Distribution of 2% Disability Common Fund
-Suhum Kraboa Coaltar Shows the Positive Way!
The Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District Assembly in the Eastern Region in its efforts to complement the government’s effort at reducing poverty among persons with disabilities in Ghana, have taken a giant lead in the distribution of the Assemblies two percent of its common Funds to persons with disabilities in the district. According a research conducted in five district in three regions by the Network of Journalist for the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with disabilities in Africa-Ghana Chapter and sponsored by the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD), reveals that among the five district, Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District Assembly is the only district that has a well organised formula to disbursed the funds for PWDs. The research revealed that the District Chief Executive of Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District Assembly Hon. Samuel Fleischer Kwabi has setup a ten member Disability Management Sub-committee charged to work assiduously to ensure fairness, transparency in dealing in all aspect of PWDs in the District.
This is a laudable initiative since it would go a long way to help address some of the problems affecting persons with disability in the area.
The Network of Journalist on the rights and promotion of persons with disability with other stakeholders are therefore calling on the government, particularly the various district and municipal and metropolitan assemblies in the country to factor into their budget and the common fund, certain percentage of money to be set aside to cater for the wellbeing of persons with disability as well as the mentally ill in the society. The network has since its establishment organized seminars and workshops for media practitioners towards the ratification of the UN Convention and the passage of the Ghana Mental Health bill put before parliament. The convention is an international convention law that is to enable persons with disability to enjoy their full human rights all over the world with the purpose to of promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.
The need for the ratification of the Convention
It will enable government to increase consultation with and involvement of persons with disability in decision making and further enable the society to adopt some of the core principles for persons with disability: respect for human dignity; Non-discrimination; full and effective participation and inclusion in society etc.
The need for the passage of the Ghana Mental Health bill, which is a draft law that acknowledges the current international instrument and obligation on human rights has also become necessary since it will help promote and protect the rights of people with mental disorders, as well as to promote access to mental health care. The bill adopts a human right based approach in accordance with international agreements for the health care needs of persons with mental disorders. These are to prevent discrimination in all forms and offer equal opportunities to people with mental disorders. However, the passage of the bill will enable gov’t to improve mental health care and prevent situations where mentally ill persons are let loose on the street and communities in the country. On the other hand media practitioners considered as the mouthpiece of the Ghanaian populace have been asked to be at the forefront of the fight against stereotying, prejudices and injustices meted out to persons with disabilities and the mental sick persons. They on the request of the network have also been charge not to use derogatory statements and remarks on such person with disability that sometimes put them in public ridicule.
Signing up for the ratification of the convention and passage of the Ghana Mental Health bill
Appending your signature means that you support the ratification of the UN Convention and the passage of the Ghana Mental Health bill.