Minister advocates more inclusiveness for children with special needs
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu Ekuful, has called for increased attention to the unique challenges faced by children with special needs and their caregivers.
Advertisement
She said though everyone faced challenges in one way or the other, children with special needs and their caregivers faced more challenges such as accessibility and stigmatisation as they tried to get by their lives.
Mrs Owusu Ekuful, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Ablekuma West Constituency, made the call at an event to mark World Humanitarian Day
The event, put together by the Ursula Foundation, was dubbed "An evening with guardians and persons with special needs."
August 19 has been set aside as World Humanitarian Day, an opportunity to celebrate the indispensable and tireless life-saving efforts of all aid workers worldwide.
Inclusiveness
Mrs Owusu Ekuful said irrespective of one’s health status, no one deserved to be left behind in the area of personal development. She, therefore, stressed the importance of inclusive policies and support systems for children with disabilities.
She emphasised the need for greater governmental and societal commitment to ensure that children with special needs received the care, education and resources they deserved.
"These children are our future, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the opportunities they need to thrive," she stated.
Other Trending Stories
She also advocated the implementation of more robust programmes that supported parents and guardians in caring for their children, calling for the creation of more inclusive educational environments that cater for the needs of all children, regardless of their abilities.
Parents
Some parents who spoke on behalf of the other participants, expressed appreciation to the Ursula Foundation for creating a platform for parents of children with special needs to come together to share their experiences and encourage one another.
"On behalf of all parents here, I want to thank Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful and the Ursula Foundation for organising such a meaningful event on World Humanitarian Day.
“The attention and care shown to our children with special needs truly mean the world to us. It's reassuring to know that our voices are being heard and that there are people committed to advocating for the needs of our children," one of the parents said.
“Today’s event reminded us that we are not alone in this journey. The support and resources being made available to us through the foundation give me hope that my child will have the opportunities they need to grow and thrive.
“We are deeply encouraged by the call for more inclusive education and stronger government support, and I believe that together, we can make a real difference in the lives of our children,” another guardian said.