Sessions on Advancing Social Protection in West Africa for an Inclusive Society – Day 1 and 2: Social Protection for Persons with Disabilities in Ghana

Writer: Amirhosein Rahbari, Independent Consultant at Socialprotection.org

 

Introduction

Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) University of Applied Sciences organised an innovative five-day alumni event focused on "Advancing Social Protection in West Africa – Smart Solutions Developed by H-BRS Alumni for an Inclusive Society" in Cape Coast and Accra, Ghana, from 29 July to 3 August 2024. The event featured strong participation from key stakeholders in Ghana's social protection sector and alumni of the master’s degree in Social Protection, who are now respected experts in their fields. This significant collaboration was co-organised with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and funded by Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). This report is the first in a series of three blog posts, covering insights from Days 1 and 2, with discussions on Ghana's support for persons with disabilities. Stay tuned for the upcoming posts!

On the first day, participants gathered for a welcoming and networking dinner at the German Ambassador’s Residence, where H.E. Daniel Krull, the German Ambassador to Ghana, along with esteemed professors from UCC and H-BRS, shared inspiring remarks.

On the second day, the focus shifted to Ghana's efforts in addressing the needs of vulnerable groups, particularly persons with disabilities. The day included visits to the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, specifically the Department of Social Welfare, where government responses were presented. Additionally, at the UNICEF Ghana office, representatives of the National Council on Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) provided an overview of their initiatives, followed by Q&A sessions.

Visit to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection – Department of Social Welfare

As presented by Yvonne Norman, Deputy Director, Head of Child and Family Welfare Division, the department of social welfare is made up of three divisions: child and family welfare, programme development, and justice administration.

1. Child and Family Division: This division is responsible for foster care services, ensuring that children in need of care and protection are placed in safe and supportive family environments. The division also oversees daycare centres and residential care for children, addressing the needs of the most vulnerable with the following units:
   1. Child and Family Welfare Unit: Strengthens family life and promotes foster care over residential facilities for children in conflict with the law.
   2. Residential Homes’ Management Unit: Monitors and supports residential care facilities for children without parental care and the elderly.
   3. Day Care Centres’ Management Unit: Registers and monitors day-care centres for children aged 0-3 years.
   4. Adoption and Foster Care Unit: Manages adoption and foster care processes, ensuring legal compliance.
2. Programme Development Division: evelops and pilots strategic social welfare programmes for poverty alleviation, ensures their effective implementation, and coordinates national networks to support these efforts. It also provides recommendations on policy planning, programme development, and sustainable livelihood projects. The Division is composed of three units:
   1. Sustainable Livelihood Program Unit: Develops and pilots national sustainable livelihood programmes, enhances guidelines, and establishes partnerships.
   2. Community-Based Development Programs Unit: Provides technical assistance and resources to vulnerable sectors, including psychosocial patient support.
   3. NGO Unit: Registers, licenses, and evaluates the operations of NGOs in the social development sector.
3. Justice Administration Division: The Division is responsible for providing technical assistance and services to support the welfare of vulnerable and marginalised groups, ensuring District Assemblies adhere to laws for juvenile justice, advocates for legislation on juvenile welfare, supports court cases and aftercare, and manages rehabilitation efforts. It has three unites:
   1. Probation Unit: Develops and reviews guidelines for intake decisions and investigative services.
   2. Correctional Unit: Oversees residential facilities and reform programs for youth offenders.
   3. Aftercare and Community Service Unit: Provides post-care services for juvenile and adult offenders.

Challenges Identified:

1. Separation from District Officers: There was a noted disconnect between national-level discussions and district-level implementation, which affects the effectiveness of the programmes.
2. Financing: The budget for social protection is extremely limited, with heavy reliance on international cooperation. For instance, the LEAP programme, which identifies vulnerable individuals in poor households, provides bi-monthly GH₵128, 152, 176, and 212 (USD9.5-15.5) for households with one, two, three, and four eligible members. There is also pressure from the IMF to increase the amount of LEAP transfers and to ensure its sustainability through legal frameworks. The LEAP programme is connected to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), offering free healthcare, and also to free birth registration initiatives. Although the programme primarily targets the poorest individuals, people with disabilities living in poverty are also included. However, there is currently no specific programme designed to address the extra costs of disability. At the district level, more substantial funding is available for people with disabilities, such as through the common fund, which will be detailed further in this report.
3. Sustainability of the LEAP Programme: There are ongoing plans to institutionalise the LEAP programme through legislation.

New developments

1. Introduction of Software for Case Management: The department introduced a new software for case management in 2018, replacing the previous paper-based system from 2016-2017. This new system integrates information from various units into a single dashboard, though challenges with interoperability remain, as some vulnerabilities are not yet captured. It categorises cases by region and priority level (high, medium, low).
2. Child Care Centres: The residential homes for children are now operating under new guidelines, with the government taking full responsibility for each child. Case management is required for every child, and their nutrition and education must adhere to established regulations.
3. Support for persons with disabilities: The department is working to link families of persons with disabilities with NGOs to provide the necessary support and instruments.

Master’s degree in “Social Protection” and Short Course on "Social Protection and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities," offered by H-BRS

As part of H-BRS's initiative for Ghanaian stakeholders and the ministry, Darleen Kolbe and Alex Semba presented the master’s degree in social Protection, a two-year programme covering various topics and offering scholarships for eligible candidates. They also introduced a short, free online course on disability, developed in cooperation with UNICEF. This 15-week course, aimed at capacitating policy developers in developing countries, covers topics such as the identification and certification of persons with disabilities, increasing coverage, and addressing cultural issues, particularly the stigma surrounding disability.

Presentation by National Council on Persons with Disability (NCPD) at UNICEF Ghana

The day's activities concluded with a meeting at UNICEF, where Robert Tutu welcomed the attendees. The discussions began with an overview of child protection, social protection, social behavioural change (SBC), health, education, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), followed by an in-depth discussion on the inclusion of persons with disabilities led by the NCPD representative, Karin Odonkor.

The NCPD has the role to coordinate disability activities and has the mission to mainstream disability issues in all sectors of national development. Their responsibilities include monitoring and evaluating the advancement of human rights for persons with disabilities, coordinating inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary efforts, and advising the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection on disability issues. The council’s Disability Inclusion Directorate comprises several units, involving the Inclusion Unit, Common Fund Unit, Sign Language Inclusion Unit, and units addressing the needs of parents of children with disabilities and gender-related issues. The key discussed topics include:

• Legislation and Policy Framework: The council operates under the 1992 Constitution and several international conventions, including the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action. The Bill of 2024 impacting persons with disabilities and the Inclusive Education Policy were highlighted as key legislative developments.
• Guidelines and Interventions: The council has developed guidelines for testing and training drivers with disabilities, managing the Common Fund for persons with disabilities, and implementing disability-inclusive disaster risk management.
• Interventions: These include the District Assemblies Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities, the Ghana Digital Acceleration Project, Enterprise Support Grant for persons with disabilities, exemptions from customs duties for disability-related items, income tax relief for workers with disabilities, and transport allowances.
  • The District Assembly Common Fund: This fund constitutes a portion of state resources, amounting to a minimum of five per cent of national revenues. Two per cent of the fund is allocated to policies for persons with disabilities, including those aimed at improving income-generating livelihoods, promoting educational inclusion, and addressing poverty among persons with disabilities, particularly in the informal sector.
• Database and Stakeholders: The NCPD maintains a comprehensive database that includes personal information such as name, age, sex, birth certificate number, and ECOWAS identity number, as well as details on parental background, caregiver information, educational level, and employment status. The council collaborates with various stakeholders, including organisations, development partners, ministries, and a federation of disability organisations.
• Implementation: The council's mandate is implemented at the regional and district levels, with collaboration between social welfare officers and other stakeholders to organise family support and other services.
• Future steps: The country has plans to establish disability grant to fill the gap in providing financial support for persons with disabilities.

Conclusion

The visit provided valuable insights into the operations and challenges faced by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, particularly in the areas of social welfare and disability inclusion. The discussions and presentations highlighted the need for continued efforts to improve service delivery, ensure financial sustainability, and enhance the legal and policy framework for social protection in Ghana.

 

*This blog post is part of the ‘Advancing Social Protection in West Africa – Smart Solutions Developed by H-BRS Alumni for an Inclusive Society’ series, which covers discussions based on insights and data from the groundbreaking five-day alumni event organised by Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS) University of Applied Sciences in Cape Coast and Accra, Ghana. The event received funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of Germany and was co-organized with the local partner the University of Cape Coast.

Please note that the views and opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of Germany, H-BRS University of Applied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana’s National Council on Persons with Disability (NCPD), or Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. The information provided here is for informational purposes only.