Accra: Sightsavers Ghana, an international non-governmental organization, has organized a workshop to share findings on the impact of climate change on Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs). The event emphasized the need for stakeholders to address climate change challenges, especially for women with disabilities.
According to Ghana News Agency, the workshop, funded by the European Union (EU), gathered stakeholders including government agencies, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, and individuals with disabilities. The sessions highlighted the adverse effects of climate change on those with multiple vulnerability factors, particularly women.
During the workshop, stakeholders underscored the importance of integrating PWDs into disaster response planning, emergency situations, and evacuation processes. Dr. Miriam Iddrisu, a Consultant in Gender and Social Policy, presented various barriers affecting persons with disabilities. She noted that 48 percent of survey respondents identified limited educational access for women with disabilities, citing that facilities and services were not adequately accessible.
Dr. Iddrisu urged the government to include PWDs in mainstream educational systems by planning accessible structures like classrooms and hospitals. She also pointed out the exclusion of PWDs from decision-making processes and economic opportunities, highlighting transportation barriers as a significant challenge.
She recommended that government agencies and stakeholders focus on skills-building to ensure inclusive education, healthcare services, financial literacy, and job placement for PWDs. Furthermore, she emphasized the need for promoting political participation and improving accessible structural standards.
Mr. David Agyemang, Senior Programmes Manager at Sightsavers Ghana, stated that the workshop aimed to disseminate the findings of two assessments-climate change situation analysis and GESI analysis-to key stakeholders and foster a network for implementing the findings. He affirmed Sightsavers' commitment to promoting climate resilience agriculture and enhancing climate resistance in both rural and urban areas.