Gbarnga to Host Landmark Consultations for Persons with Disabilities

Monrovia, Liberia, September 19, 2024 - ln a significant step towards inclusivity, participatory, and equitable development, the Government of Liberia will hold a two-day consultative meeting with persons with disabilities (PWDs) from September 19-20, 2024, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Women Center in Gbarnga, Bong County.

The consultation aims to amplify the voices of PWDs, ensuring their perspectives are integral to the shaping of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) and the County Development Agendas (CDAs). Specifically, the consultation seeks to identify development challenges confronting PWDs and outline priorities to address these challenges in the short, medium, and long term.

During the sessions, participants will explore ways to improve the quality of life for PWDs and propose specific projects tailored to their needs.

This engagement will culminate in the preparation of a comprehensive report summarizing key findings and recommendations with projects 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 the different categories of PWDs across Liberia’s fifteen counties will contribute to these consultations, as well as the National Union of the Disabled and the National Commission on Disabilities.

The facilitators will include technicians from the Ministries of Finance and Development Planning, Gender, Children, and Social Protection and the consultants.

This initiative reflects a commitment of the Government to ensuring that PWDs are not only heard but are active contributors to Liberia's development trajectory.

The MFDP anticipates that these consultations will set the precedent for inclusive planning and development in Liberia.