By Foday Moriba Conteh
As part of their effort towards deepening their understanding of the challenges faced by Persons with Disabilities in accessing social protection services and to explore innovative solutions to bridge the existing gaps in the country, One Family People, has on Tuesday 22nd August, 2023 wrapped up a one-day national dialogue between Social Protection stakeholders and selected organizations of Person with Disabilities on disability inclusion on Social Protection Programmes. The event, which took place at the Peace Museum on New England Ville in Freetown, brought together various stakeholders, including representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, disability rights organizations, civil society groups, and academic institutions.
Samuel P.O.V Macauley, the Program Manager of One Family People, extended his gratitude to the diverse group of stakeholders present. He emphasized the importance of the dialogue in exploring innovative solutions to bridge existing gaps in social protection for individuals with disabilities.
He stressed that it is crucial to ensure that social protection programs are designed inclusively, leaving no one behind, especially persons with disabilities who often face discrimination and marginalization.
While acknowledging Sierra Leone’s progress in advancing disability rights and inclusion, Macauley highlighted the continued need for work to ensure equal access to social protection programs and services for all individuals with disabilities. He noted that the dialogue will serve as a platform for sharing experiences, best practices, and ideas to inform the development of inclusive social protection policies and strategies in Sierra Leone.
Macauley urged all participants to collaborate in identifying practical solutions, fostering partnerships and advocating for the rights of individuals with disabilities in Sierra Leone. He commended attendees for their commitment to disability rights and their contributions to promoting inclusive social protection in the country.
He noted that the successful conclusion of this national dialogue represents a step forward in addressing the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and ensuring their full participation in social protection programs in the country.
The Programmes Manager, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Tamba S.P Mondeh said social protection is a set of policies or programs set up by Government to cushion hardship on vulnerable groups.
He said one major social protection program in the country is the Emergency Cash Transfer for vulnerable families in Sierra Leone managed by the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), with support from World Bank and UNICEF.
Tamba S.P Mondeh commended the Government of Sierra Leone through the National Commission for Social Action for the National Social Safety Net Programme for vulnerable families which he said has benefited over 35,000 persons with disabilities in the country.
He, however, stated that although not all persons with disabilities benefited from the program owing to the fact that the number of persons with disabilities in the country is more than compared to the number who benefited. Tamba called on the Government to scale up the program in order to see how more persons with disabilities can benefit from it.
The Programmes Manager concluded by commending One Family People for the one-day national dialogue which was geared towards enhancing their understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing social protection services in the country.
The Disaster Preparedness Officer at the National Commission for Social Action, Duraman Conateh, underscored some of the intervention by the Commission towards addressing social protection in the country. These interventions, he said, include the National Social Safety Net Programme for vulnerable families of which he stated that persons with disabilities were key throughout the program.
He said that the National Social Safety Net Programme benefited 592,800 vulnerable people of which beneficiaries included persons with disabilities.
Duraman Conateh informed the gathering that the National Commission for Social Action developed a policy and a strategy on social protection, stating that with support from the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security the bill on social protection has already been drafted.
“Persons with disabilities are at the centre of our implementations, we have never done any implementation without giving them a particular quota. Recently in our COVID-19 Social Net Programme persons with disabilities benefited significantly,” he revealed.
The Senior Social Protection Specialist, World Bank, Dr. Abu Kargbo said Persons with Disabilities face barriers in the labour market, stating that depriving persons with disabilities in participating in the labour market increases the country’s expenditure on the GDP with an estimation of 3-7 percent, furthering that there is pressure on organizations and families to take care of persons with disabilities.
He said UNICEF in a 2021 study cautioned that failure to address disability inclusion in development will result in redevelopment expenditure.
Dr. Abu Kargbo, however, stated that disable persons know no social or economic boundaries of which he called on stakeholders to ensure that in all programmes, including policies and projects, disability inclusiveness becomes the key element.
He informed the gathering that the World Bank is committed towards addressing disability inclusiveness through investment, research, learning and collaboration with stakeholders worldwide.
Dr. Abu Kargbo further stated that the World Bank has taken several steps which include the development of the disability inclusive and accountability framework and initiated the International Development Association etc.
He said that the World Bank is working with the Government of Sierra Leone to ensure that disability inclusiveness is achieved, disclosing that the World Bank investment in the country is 1 billion Dollars and in all of their programs the issue of disability inclusion becomes very prominent and they have been encouraging their partners to ensure that they give priority to Persons with Disabilities.
The Senior Social Protection Specialist commended One Family People for the one-day national dialogue aimed at enhancing their understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing social protection services in the country.
Other stakeholders, including the Program Director for Enable the Children Program at World Hope International, Anna Vines, the Senior Social Services Officer, Ministry of Social Welfare, Morlu Kanneh etc. also made statements.
The dialogue featured sessions and a panel discussion on the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing social protection services in the country.
