Auberon Jeleel Odoom, a disability rights activist, has urged women and girls with disabilities to be assertive about their rights and demand accountability from duty bearers.

He said women and girls with disabilities must acquaint themselves with laws and policies that protect them, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and create awareness of their provisions.

Mr Odoom was facilitating a workshop organised by the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), with funding support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on key provisions of the CRPD and the Persons with Disabilities Act, Act 715.

The workshop, on the theme: “Empowered Women with Disabilities Crucial for Inclusive Leadership and Advocacy”, brought together women and girls with disabilities from various organisations.

Mr Odoom charged participants to spearhead systemic change through advocacy.

A participant with albinism shared her experience of dropping out of school due to discriminatory treatment by teachers, linked to low vision associated with the condition.

Mr Juventus Durinaah, Executive Director of GNAD, said targeted training for women and girls with disabilities was essential to match their learning pace and create safe spaces for contribution and growth.

He noted that women and girls with disabilities continued to face social and institutional barriers and systematic discrimination that limited their participation in decision‑making spaces.

“Women and girls, for example, continue to have low representation in government appointments and key leadership positions, even among organisations of persons with disabilities,” he said.

Prof. Augustina Naami, Associate Professor of Disability and Social Work at the University of Ghana, advised participants to develop their capacity and stay disciplined to achieve their goals.