Political Participation Of Persons With Disability (Pwds) In Ghana

ABSTRACT

The Persons with Disability Act, 2006, makes provision for inclusive participation for

persons with disability (PWDs) in Ghana’s political governance. Nonetheless, political

participation of PWDs in Ghana is generally low. The study, therefore, seeks to

examine the extent of implementation of the Disability Act in promoting political

inclusion of PWDs. It identifies Actors and motivations for advocacy and policy

implementations for political inclusion of PWDs, challenges to participation and

proposes measures for political inclusion in local and national political governance.

Qualitative research approach was adopted for the study. Primary data was gathered

from interviews and respondents selected using the purposive sampling procedure.

Primary data was analysed qualitatively within the framework of the Human Rights-

Based Theory that underpins this study. Relevant literature served as secondary data

sources for the study.

The study found that Ghana’s Disability Act has no significant influence on the political

inclusion of PWDs. There exist a gap between policy and implementation because the

Act sets no guidelines for political engagement. Significant improvement in electoral

participation from 2008 is thus informed by efforts of a coalition of Civil Society

Organisations and specific state institutions. The study also found that the growing

influence of partisan activities in local government elections informs the withdrawal of

PWDs from the electoral participation at the grassroots level. Financial support for a

party’s preferred candidates makes local electoral participation competitive and

burdensome for PWDs due to their low financial status.

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