Dr. Augustina Naami and Students Raise Awareness on Disability Issues in Ghana
In a recent initiative led by Dr. Augustina Naami, Head of the Department of Social Work, at the University of Ghana, over 200 UG students have raised awareness about the challenges faced by persons with disabilities.
Holding placards bearing messages derived from their research on disability issues, the students walked through Legon and engaged with hawkers, drivers at bus stations, commuters and the general public.
In an interview with the Public Affairs News team, Dr. Naami explained the motivation behind the campaign. "When I teach disability courses, I want my students to be aware of the challenges that persons with disabilities face and to appreciate those challenges. I also try to inspire them to support in creating awareness about those issues" she said.
She added that the campaign was the result of careful planning and preparation throughout the semester. Using a problem-based approach in her teaching, Dr. Naami assigned students to groups, each focused on different challenges faced by persons with disabilities. The challenges addressed were on education, marriage, employment, healthcare and physical barriers. She reviewed the final works before they were printed and displayed on placards.
Dr. Naami noted the significant impact the campaign had, not only on the local community but also on the students. "Seeing about 200 university students, passionately and enthusiastically raising awareness about the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, was empowering. Many students told me that this assignment was profoundly impactful, both personally and for those they engaged with," she said.
Dr. Naami emphasised the urgent need to speed up disability inclusion in Ghana. "We have over 5 million persons with disabilities living in Ghana and they are struggling in terms of inclusion. They are struggling to fit into society. The society seems to be a bit hostile to persons with disabilities.’’
‘‘If you're not creating access for the integration of individuals with disabilities, what are you doing?" she quizzed.
She also called for intentional efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities are represented in decision-making processes at all levels of society, stating, "Until the last person with a disability is part of the development of the society, or is engaging, then the core value of SDG 2030 may not be achieved because no one should be left behind”.
Dr. Naami, who teaches a course called "Problems of Rehabilitation", which focuses on disability issues, has her students conduct research and create awareness about the challenges faced by persons with disabilities. This year, the students decided to extend their campaign beyond the campus, marching through the main gate, Legon police station and surrounding areas to engage with the broader community.
Dr. Naami, herself a person with disability, is actively involved in various service roles, both within the Department of Social Work and the wider university
community. She also serves on several boards of civil society and faith-based organisations and was a member of the Technical Committee that reviewed the Persons with Disability Act, 715, to align it with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Dr. Naami teaches a range of areas in social work, mostly with macro-level practice and policy orientations at both undergraduate and graduate levels at the main campus and City campuses. Her research focuses on disability, mental health, the intersection of vulnerabilities, gender, social policy, and poverty. In her advocacy work, Dr. Naami has spearheaded campaigns to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities, including building 16 ramps for six basic schools in the Ga East Municipality since 2022.
This initiative supports some strategic priorities in UG’s new Strategic Plan (2024-2029). These include the first strategic priority, ‘Transformative Student Experience’, which seeks to among other things, promote the equipping of students with the skills and competencies to navigate an increasingly competitive and complex world, including a workplace that demands agility, innovation and resilience, while making meaningful contributions to society.
The initiative fosters Engagement and Partnerships, Priority 4, which has the vision to enhance the quality of education and research for all students and staff, and to make meaningful contributions to society.
Photo Credit: DisabilityNewsGH.com