Ghana Announces Raise in Disability Fund, New Bill at UN Rights Conference
Ghana is moving to deepen disability inclusion with a proposed law and higher funding, as it marks 20 years of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at the UN in New York.
At the 19th Conference of States Parties (COSP19) from June 9-11, 2026, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey told delegates that Ghana’s next phase would focus on enforcement and resources, not just policy statements.
The Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2026, is now before Cabinet and aims to align Ghana’s laws with the CRPD and give teeth to enforcement mechanisms that have lagged for years.
Dr Lartey announced that the District Assemblies Common Fund allocation for persons with disabilities has been increased from 3% to 5%. The boost is earmarked for livelihoods, education, and healthcare.
She also announced the scaling up of social protection numbers, saying that over 147,000 persons with disabilities are now enrolled in LEAP and linked to the National Health Insurance Scheme through the BIG LEAP initiative, while tuition is also fully covered for students with disabilities under the Free Tertiary Education Policy.
“Not just protection, but opportunity”
Speaking in the UN General Assembly Hall, Dr Lartey said the 20-year CRPD milestone was “both a moment of reflection and a call to action.”
“Twenty years after the adoption of the Convention, Ghana’s responsibility is not only to protect rights, but to expand opportunities and remove barriers to full participation,” she stated.
She admitted that gaps remain in employment, attitudinal barriers, and limited access to assistive technologies.
Ghana also highlighted the non-financial steps towards inclusion to encompass the Ghana Accessibility Standard, which is now integrated into building regulations, and the Digital Acceleration Project is training persons with disabilities in digital skills and assistive tech.
Meanwhile, she said the cabinet had approved ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
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