Beyond Legislation: Examining Awareness about Disability-Related Health Rights Legislations among Women with Disabilities in Ghana

Charlotte Ofori, Regional Institute For Population Studies, University Of Ghana
John Ganle, University of Ghana, School of Public Health

The aim of this paper was to examine women with disabilities’(WWDs’) awareness of conventions/laws for PWDs and also, health related legislature in Northern Ghana using data from 712 sexually active WWDs 15–49years. Chi square tests and multiple logistic regression models were fitted to examine the relationship between the outcome-and-independent variables. Only 10% and 11.8% of WWDs had ever heard about the UNCRPWDs and Ghana’s Persons with Disability Act 715 respectively. Having some formal education, being employed, and membership of a women's group were positively association with awareness of UNCRPWD. WWDs who do not know their age and women who were members of a group were significantly more likely to be aware of Act 715. Poor access to radio, television and internet was associated with unawareness of disability laws/conventions. Beyond enacting laws, policymakers should make sustainable efforts to raise public awareness of disability sexual reproductive health related rights/conventions/laws through the use mass media outlets to eliminate prejudice.