UNDP on Monday August 9, 2021, commended the outgoing Executive Director of the National Commission on Disabilities (NCD), Madam Ricardia Badio Dennis, for successfully steering the development of the country’s National Action Plan for inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Liberia (2018 – 2022).

The highlights of the National Action Plan (NAP) include six key social indicators to ensure PWDs attain their full potential, and effectively participate in decision-making processes both at county and national levels.

The six social indicators are facilitating PWDs’ access to public services; access to education; access to health; access to employment and livelihood opportunities; access to independent living and self-determination; and access to justice and the rule of law.

Welcoming the in-coming Executive Director, Madam Daintowon Domah Pay-Bayee, UNDP’s representative, Mr. Boye Johnson, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to continue supporting the Commission’s work, and urged her to take the National Action Plan forward by involving more PWDs in every aspect of its implementation.

“Persons living with disabilities must play a crucial leadership role in the design and implementation of national and county policies, strategies and programmes in order for Liberia to achieve the over-arching SDG goal of ‘leaving no one behind’”, said Mr. Johnson.

He highlighted the need to urgently update the country’s data on persons living with disabilities (PWDs) to enable better planning and budget allocation for their special needs both at the national and county levels. It is estimated that 16% of the Liberian population have various disabilities, according to a 1997 UNICEF study.

Since 2005, UNDP has been supporting work aimed at improving PWDs’ participation in the country’s decision-making processes, as well as their economic empowerment in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities (UNCRPD). Currently, UNDP is supporting livelihood activities such as soap making and farming for some 90 PWDs in Zwedru, Fishtown and Pleebo, in the southeast of the country.