–Seeks Support for PWDs

By Taisiah K. Merfee

IPNEWS-Monrovia: The Chairperson of the National Commission on Disabilities (NCB) in Liberia joined other leaders to attend the 16th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), being held at United Nations Headquarters in New York, which stated on June 14 and ends on June 16, 2023.

Speaking at the start of the Conference the NCB Chairperson, Amb. Daintowon Domah Pay-Bayee said the theme calls for harmonizing national policies and strategies with the CRPD: “Achievements and challenges with ensuring equal access to and accessibility of sexual and reproductive health services for persons with disabilities as well as Digital accessibility for persons with disabilities; and reaching the under-represented groups of persons with disabilities”.

NCB Chairperson, Amb. Daintowon Domah Pay-Bayee

Amb. Pay-Bayee noted that the theme of the Session is critical having realized as a Country that Sexual Reproductive Health cannot be achieved if all Liberians regardless of being with or without disabilities are not granted the tools to control and decide over their bodies and sexuality as a matter of legitimate human rights.

She said there is a need to harmonize national policies and strategies became an overall priority of the Government of Liberia immediately upon the passage of the Act establishing the National Commission on Disabilities (NCD) in 2005 as an Autonomous Agencies with the three (3) officials appointed as Members of Cabinet which was a year before the adoption of the UNCRPD in 2006 as a way of ensuring that Persons with disabilities in Liberia build resilience in the face of physical and emotional barriers to participation in all spheres of life.

According to her, the Commission is charged with responsibilities of reviewing, influencing and formulating policies as well as monitoring every service delivery, most importantly, the Commission is structured at the level of the Districts, Counties and Regional in ensuring that no one is left behind.

“The Commission had revised National Action Plan with support from UNDP, UNICEF and UNESCO Abuja office which aligned with the National Strategic Disabilities Roadmap and both were signed by President George Weah for the full Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Liberia.”

NCB Chairperson, Amb. Daintowon Domah Pay-Bayee makes Liberia at the New York Conference

Amb. Pay-Bayee noted the roadmap will look at the development of PWDs lives from the grassroots while the NAP will look at it from policy perspective, the government had also worked with the Liberia Labor Congress (LLC) and the Ministry of Labor in ensuring a Decent Work Manual for Persons with Disabilities with support from ILO.

“As way of eliminating discrimination against persons with disabilities in all matters relating to marriage, parenthood, relationships, family planning, fertility, and family life and equal access to health services with emphasis on Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH), we validated the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Training Manual for PWDs under the CAD-L Project”.

She mentioned that the Commission participated in the first-ever National Conference on SRHR in Liberia and came up with Position Statement, a joint effort with Amplifying Rights Network (ARN), Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU), and other SHR actors to have a space for jointly promoting and popularizing SHR accurate information free of stigma and discrimination for greater freedom of choice about their sexual health.

“Furthermore, every 1st Tuesday of the Month is a Women with Disabilities (WWDs) at the Commission where we discuss issues around SRHR and other issues effecting us as Women.

 We’ve made progress, but there is still more to do Hence, Liberia is seeking support to Conduct of a national survey to gather aggregated data for economic and social empowerment of PWDs, Creation of a National Registry for Persons with Disabilities as the Commission in collaboration with the National Identification Registry, and Development of a National Sign Language program,” she added.