THE Ghana Alliance for Mental Health and Development, also known as the Mental Health Alliance, has called on the government, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to take concrete steps to promote inclusive employment for persons with disabilities.
It has also called for sustainable mental health financing and an end to stigma and discrimination against persons with lived experience of mental health conditions and persons with physical disabilities.
These demands were contained in a statement issued by the Alliance and copied to The Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday to mark World Mental Health Day.
The Alliance said persons with physical disabilities and those with lived experience of mental health conditions must have equal opportunities for employment, access to quality support services and the means to participate fully in society.
Following a two-day meeting organised jointly by ADD International and BasicNeeds-Ghana to examine findings from a two-country research project on disability inclusion activism, the Alliance outlined four priority areas requiring urgent attention.
The research project was commissioned and funded by ADD International.
The Alliance proposed that five per cent of local government staffing positions be reserved for persons with disabilities, supported by clear implementation and monitoring procedures.
It also called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to ensure that the five per cent allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) was strictly applied to skills development and income-generating activities for persons with physical, mental and psychosocial disabilities.
“Similarly, we call for increased employment of persons with disability, especially young people and females in the corporate and private sectors. These will be realised if the Ghana Labour Law and Disability Law are fully implemented,” the statement said.
The Alliance commended the government for including four mental health conditions under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), but called for a significant increase in mental health financing through the operationalisation of the Mental Health Fund and adequate resourcing through domestic revenue mobilisation.
It said the move would support the full implementation of the Mental Health Law.
The Alliance also called for an end to discrimination against persons with disabilities, urging influencers and institutions to work collectively to challenge stigma, prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination.
It said such efforts should actively promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in socio-economic, civic and political activities.
The Alliance further stressed the need to involve persons with disabilities and those with lived experience of mental health conditions in decision-making, particularly in the design of programmes and services intended for them.
It said the media had a special responsibility to address social stigma and urged journalists to use respectful language, protect the dignity and privacy of persons with lived experience, and move beyond sensationalism towards responsible, rights-based reporting.
The statement added that partnerships with civil society organisations and the creative industry could support documentaries, short films and public education campaigns to challenge stigma and hold institutions accountable for their commitments.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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