As part of its efforts to engage key stakeholders to brief them about its activities and solicit inputs, the leadership of the Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), met with the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs. Cynthia Morrison on Friday 10th May, 2019.
The meeting offered a platform for the YBF to brief the Minister of all activities undertaken by the Foundation under the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) funded project to ensure access to justice and promote inclusivity particularly among the youth and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Recounting some of the activities undertaken, Mr. Seth Oteng, the Executive Director of YBF, singled out the enormous impact of Puzzled, a 13-episode drama series aired on television that dramatized the numerous challenges of PWDs and called for immediate action to deal with the challenges.
Mr. Oteng among other crucial activities carried out, also informed the Minister that the Government’s Child and Family Welfare Policy (2015) has also been translated into braille and copies donated to the Akropong School for the Blind. He added that the YBF has also embarked on massive sensitization drive to draw attention to the need for all public events to factor the needs of people with hearing impairment.
A special preview of the drama, PUZZLED was also held to show the 13-episode drama series to the Sector Minister to enable her to gain first-hand knowledge and full insight into some of the activities and interventions carried out by the YBF to promote access to justice and promote inclusivity among the youth and PWDs.
In the interactions that ensued after the private viewing session, Mr. Oteng also noted that converting the provisions of the policy accessible in braille version is aimed at educating PWDs and the entire Ghanaian on access to justice and empowering them to demand their rights as responsible citizens. While commending OSIWA and YBF for the Project that embraces capacity building of PWDs and the youth in decision making process, Mr. Santokh Singh, the Managing Director-Multi TV, and one of the YBF Media Partners, said championing social injustices must be a priority of all stakeholders, hence the decision of his outfit, the Multimedia Group Limited to partner the YBF in the project.
Ms. Lydia Forson, the Lead Actress in PUZZLED also thanked the YBF for the opportunity given her to unearth some of the plight faced by the youth and PWDs. She expressed the hope that the Sector Minister and indeed, all key funders would support a second phase of the project as a way of hammering the key issues and challenges for the attention of all policy makers.
In her response, the Sector Minister commended the YBF for its pioneering role and activities in bringing to the fore, very important areas of public policy that have been abandoned or neglected by regimes. She pledged her total support for all YBF activities, especially the project that seeks to protect children, young people, PWDs and improve their access to justice. Sharing her perspectives on children and PWDs, the Sector Minister observed as follows:
“When I see a child who is physically challenged, I feel the plight of the mother and it breaks my heart,” She thanked OSIWA for sponsoring the project and expressed the hope to join the funding agency and all other stakeholders in supporting the YBF to undertake a second phase of the project as a way of keeping public dialogue on access to justice by PWDs on the front-burner of public policy discourse.
The YBF presented copies of the first ever produced braille version of the Child and Family Welfare Policy (2015), and the audio copy of the PUZZLED to the Sector Minister.
QUOTES BASED ON SPEAKERS
“I call on all, especially the elite in society to treat children they live with rightfully as their own.” – Madam Cynthia Morrison, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
“When I see a child who is physically challenged, I feel the plight of the mother and it breaks my heart.” –Madam Cynthia Morrison, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
“Converting the provisions of the policy accessible in braille version will educate the populace, especially Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), increase their awareness on issues and empower them to demand their rights and be responsible citizens.” – Mr. Seth Oteng, the Executive Director, Youth Bridge Foundation.
“Championing social injustices has been a priority of Multimedia Group, hence the partnership with YBF to form a synergy that will empower the youth who are the future of the continent.” – Mr. Santokh Singh, the Managing Director-Multi TV.
“Featuring in PUZZLED is a blessing for me to champion a course am very passionate about, movies are powerful beyond entertainment, they educate, as we entertain, we get a point to send a message.” – Ms. Lydia Forson.
