Disability Rights

DISABILITY RIGHTS

Championing the Rights, Dignity, and Full Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Ghana

The Roshelle Brago Boakye Foundation (ROBB Foundation) is unequivocal in its position: disability is not a barrier to rights, dignity, or full participation in society. Every person — regardless of their physical, cognitive, or developmental condition — is entitled to equal protection under the law, equal access to public services, and equal opportunity to contribute meaningfully to their community and nation.

Our Disability Rights thematic area constitutes the foundational pillar of ROBBFoundation's mandate. Since our establishment in March 2016, we have worked systematically to address the structural, attitudinal, and institutional barriers that continue to exclude persons with disabilities particularly those with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities — from Ghana's social, educational, economic, and political life.



The Context: Why This Work Matters

According to the Ghana Statistical Service, approximately 3% of Ghana's population over 900,000 people live with a disability. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that more than one billion people experience some form of disability, with persons in low- and middle-income countries facing disproportionately higher rates of exclusion. In Ghana, Down syndrome affects approximately 1 in every 1,000 live births, yet awareness of the condition remains critically low. Misconceptions persist, with many families and communities attributing the condition to spiritual causes or ancestral curses rather than understanding it as a chromosomal difference that responds positively to early intervention, inclusive education, and community support.



These knowledge gaps have real consequences. Children with Down syndrome are frequently denied access to mainstream schooling. Adults with intellectual disabilities are routinely excluded from employment. Families — particularly mothers — bear the burden of care in near-total isolation, without adequate institutional support, financial assistance, or access to specialized health services.



Our Approach

ROBB Foundation operates across three interconnected levels of engagement: community mobilization, institutional advocacy, and international representation.

At the community level, we conduct awareness campaigns, community dialogues, and educational workshops in partnership with churches, schools, and local government authorities. We have collaborated with Christ Apostolic Church International, Odorkor Central, and other faith-based institutions to host community forums on the rights of children living with Down syndrome — recognizing that religious and community leaders are critical influencers of public attitudes toward disability.



At the institutional level, we engage Ghana's Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Ghana Education Service, the Ghana Health Service, and the Ministry of Health to advocate for disability-responsive policies, legislation, and service delivery systems. We are an active member of Inclusion Ghana and maintain strategic partnerships with Special Olympics Ghana and the Council for Exceptional Children, among others.

At the international level, ROBB Foundation has carried Ghana's voice to global platforms. In 2026, we represented the foundation at World Down Syndrome Day celebrations at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, and at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA — making the case for stronger global commitments to disability inclusion. In 2025, ROBB Foundation received the prestigious Best Artist Award at the PIP Global Disability Art Festival in Tokyo, Japan, in recognition of our use of art and creative expression to promote inclusion and reshape global narratives about disability.

Our Different, Not Less Exhibition — which has been staged in Ghana and traveled internationally to Italy — stands as one of our most celebrated initiatives, using the creative works of persons with Down syndrome and other disabilities to challenge stereotypes and affirm the boundless potential of every individual.



Our Policy Position

ROBB Foundation fully endorses and advocates for the domestication and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) within Ghana's legal framework. We call on the Government of Ghana to accelerate the passage of comprehensive disability legislation, increase budgetary allocations for disability services, and ensure that persons with disabilities are meaningfully represented in all policy processes that affect their lives.

Disability rights are not a matter of charity. They are a matter of justice.



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