By: Matalay Kollie
The government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), with support from the United Nations Joint SDG Funds, has kicked off a two-day consultative dialogue with persons living with disabilities in Gbarnga, Bong County.
The dialogue aims to strengthen inclusivity, participatory processes, and equitable development.
The meeting will run from Thursday, September 19, through Friday, September 20, 2024, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Women’s Center in Gbarnga, Bong County.
The consultation seeks to amplify the voices of persons with disabilities (PWDs), ensuring their perspectives are integral to shaping the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and the County Development Agendas (CDAs).
The two-day consultative meeting will identify the development challenges confronting PWDs and outline priorities to address these challenges in the short, medium, and long term.
During the sessions, participants will have the opportunity to explore ways to improve the quality of life for PWDs and propose specific projects tailored to their needs.
The event is expected to culminate in the preparation of a comprehensive report summarizing key findings and recommendations with projects from PWDs for consideration in the AAID, CDAs, and PSIP.
The report will outline targeted projects to be incorporated into the AAID, CDAs, and PSIP, thereby embedding PWDs’ needs into Liberia’s broader development agenda.
Forty participants from different categories of PWDs across Liberia’s fifteen counties will contribute to these consultations, along with representatives from the National Union of the Disabled and the National Commission on Disabilities.
The facilitators for this two-day dialogue will include technicians from the Ministries of Finance and Development Planning, Gender, Children, and Social Protection, as well as their consultants.
This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that PWDs are not only heard but are active contributors to Liberia’s development trajectory.
Remarking during the event, Assistant Minister for Planning at the Ministry of Finance, Numene Reeves, assured members of the disabled community of inclusive participation in the New National Development Plan for the ARREST Agenda.
Reeves highlighted the government’s commitment to prioritize key areas concerning living with disabilities in its national development agenda.
He stated that the consultative meeting is part of the government’s six-year plans, noting that the disabled community was not fully represented during past consultations.
He revealed that the Boakai administration, with support from the United Nations, recognized the importance of conducting a special consultation for people living with disabilities across the country.
The MFDP assures that these two days of consultations will set the stage for inclusive planning and development in Liberia.
For her part, UN Resident Coordinator Christine Umutoni extolled the Boakai administration for prioritizing people living with disabilities.
She further urged the Boakai-Koung administration to include the needs of PWDs in the formulation of the “ARREST” Agenda for Inclusive Development.
Madam Umutoni acknowledged the significance of the consultation, describing it as a hallmark of inclusiveness and emphasizing the great importance of soliciting genuine views from the community.
The UN Resident Coordinator also highlighted the efforts and commitment of the government to ensure that every citizen’s voice is heard in crafting the National Agenda, promoting unity and national ownership, while underscoring the importance of collectively targeting citizens, development partners, and all stakeholders.
Madam Umutoni took the occasion to urge every participant, especially people living with disabilities, to take responsibility for ensuring that disability inclusion is prioritized at all levels, particularly in the decision-making and development processes of Liberia.
In a brief remark, Assistant Minister for Planning and Research at the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Curtis V. Dorley, assured the gathering that his ministry is committed to working with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to achieve President Boakai’s ARREST Agenda.
