International Day Of Persons With Disability

The Challenged Foundation in collaboration with the The House of Rock Ministry International observed the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The day was used to sensitize Church members on the inclusiveness of PwDs in decision making, also to show love and care for PwDs, improving living conditions of PwDs.

This is as a result of how some religious beliefs are leading family members of PwDs astray.

Madam Patience Sarbah who is the project officer for the Challenged Foundation, said that at least about 85% of Ghanaians are christians yet still they discriminate against PwDs.

She further asked cooperate bodies to help by giving PwDs employments.

The Head Pastor of the “House of the Rock Ministry International”, Pastor Clement Offori touched on how some men of God mislead some parents of children with special needs.

According to him the so called men of God tells the families of such children that their wards are from the gods. Others too tells them that the children are as a result of a crime (sin) committed by a member of the family. Some also tell the families that the children are cursed.

He advised that they should desist from such acts and parents should send their wards to hospital when they detect any changes in the children.

According to Ms. Betty Gharbin, to be able to access an equitable world needs the involvement of all devoid of sex, age, race, gender, and disability. She went on to say that, even though SDGs 3 and 4 talks about health and education, unfortunately, PwDs finds it accessing them. She concluded that for the world to be a better place for all, PwDs should be given active roles and all forms of discrimination towards PwDs in society should be abolished.