The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive national development, with a renewed emphasis on integrating women, children, and persons with disabilities into Ghana’s development planning processes.

This was emphasised during a courtesy call by a delegation from the Voices of Women and Children with Disabilities in Ghana (VOWAC Ghana) to the Director-General of NDPC. The engagement focused on strengthening collaboration on disability inclusion, enhancing participation in policy processes, and advancing the implementation of key frameworks, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Commending the organisation, the Director-General praised VOWAC Ghana’s progress and research contributions, noting its significant impact within a relatively short period.

She highlighted NDPC’s constitutional mandate to advise the President on development planning and policy, emphasising the Commission’s role in promoting equitable and inclusive development across all sectors and population groups.

The Director-General further noted that disability inclusion has been embedded as a cross-cutting priority in Ghana’s 2026–2029 Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework, with clear strategies to address systemic inequalities and barriers affecting vulnerable populations.

She also stressed the importance of strengthening representation of persons with disabilities within decentralised planning structures, particularly at the regional and district levels, to ensure their perspectives are consistently reflected in development decision-making.

Reflecting on broader inclusion principles, she underscored the need for empathy and participatory planning, noting that disability is a dynamic condition that can affect anyone over time. She reaffirmed NDPC’s alignment with the global commitment to “leave no one behind” and the principle of “nothing about us without us,” emphasising the importance of meaningful participation in policy processes.

The Technical Advisor of VOWAC Ghana, Madam Beatrice Akua Mahmood, on her part, called for more structured engagement with specialised disability organisations, noting that while umbrella bodies play an important coordinating role, direct consultation with targeted groups can enhance policy responsiveness.

She further raised concerns about the limited inclusion of disability-specific indicators in national reporting frameworks and encouraged gradual integration of such indicators to strengthen monitoring and accountability.

She indicated that VOWAC Ghana is currently preparing a position paper, and planning further engagements with key ministries to advance the inclusion of women, children with disabilities, and caregivers in national policy processes.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration between NDPC and disability-focused organisations, as Ghana continues to strengthen inclusive planning under its long-term development agenda.