The Absence of a Disability Measurement System in the Disbursement of the District Assembly Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities in Ghana: How the Most Vulnerable are Denied Access
Main Article Content
Keywords
District Assembly Common Funds for Persons with Disability, access criteria, Ghana
Abstract
This paper studied the access criteria to the DACF for PWDs Fund by interviewing two DFMC members each across 13 districts. The results show the selection criteria are subjective, deny the most vulnerable access and recommended the use of a social policy-oriented disability measurement system to determine equitable access.
References
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Adjei-Domfeh, P. (2015). Management of the Disability Common Fund: challenges and impact on the lives of persons with disabilities in Kumasi metropolis of Ghana (M.Sc). Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. Retrieved from http://ir.knust.edu.gh/xmlui/handle/123456789/8621?show=full
Admon-Rick, G. (2014). Impaired Encoding. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 39, 105–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162243913508326
Agboga, R. S. (2015). The Contributions Of The Districts Disability Common Fund To The Well-Being Of Beneficiaries In Ada East District (M.A). University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. Retrieved from http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/21814
Barnes, C., & Mercer, G. (1997). Breaking the Mould?: An introduction to doing disability research. In C. Barnes & G. Mercer (Eds.), Doing disability research (pp. 1–14). Leeds: Disability Press.
Berg, R. L., & Cassells, J. S. (Eds.). (1992). The Second Fifty Years: Promoting Health and Preventing Disability. Washington (DC).
Bury, M. (2000). A comment on the ICIDH2. Disability & Society, 15, 1073–1077. https://doi.org/10.1080/713662025
Council of Europe (Ed.). (2002). Integration of people with disabilities. Assessing disability in Europe - Similarities and differences. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publ.
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District Assemblies Common Fund Secretariat. (2018). Upper East Region 2018: Yearly Funds for Upper East Rion. Retrieved from http://www.commonfund.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=379&Itemid=395
Drabek, M. L. (2014). Classify and label: The unintended marginalization of social groups. Lanham, Md.: Lexington Books.
Drake, R. F. (1999). Understanding disability policies. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Edusei, A. K., Adjei-Domfeh, P., Mprah, W. K., Opoku, M. P., Badu, E., & Appiah, C. S. (2016). Assessing the Impact and Uses of the Disability Common Fund Among Persons with Disabilities in Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. REVIEW of DISABILITY STUDIES: an INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, 12. Retrieved from https://www.rdsjournal.org/index.php/journal/article/download/526/1718
Employment and Social Affairs. (2002). Definition of Disability in Europe: A Comparative Analysis. Brunel University.
Fougeyrollas, P., & Beauregard, L. (2001). Disability: An Interactive Person-Environment Social Creation. In G. L. Albrecht, K. D. Seelman, & M. Bury (Eds.), Handbook of disability studies (pp. 171–194). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412976251.n7
Fratello, F., & Scorretti, C. (2002). Comparative Analysis Of The Typology Of Assessment Criteria Used For The Allocation Of Benefits In Cash And In Kind To Persons With Disabilities. In Council of Europe (Ed.), Integration of people with disabilities. Assessing disability in Europe - Similarities and differences (pp. 135–155). Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publ.
Ghana Federation of the Disabled. (n.d). The Disability Situation in Ghana. Retrieved from https://www.medbox.org/gh-disability/the-disability-situation-in-ghana/preview?
Ghana Statistical Service. (2014). 2010 Population and Housing Census Report: Disability in Ghana. Accra.
Ghanaweb (2018a, January 29). Government pays GHC31m to PWDs, HIV patients. Accra: Ghanaweb. Retrieved from https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Government-pays-GHC31m-to-PWDs-HIV-patients-621603
Ghanaweb (2018b, June 4). Sagnarigu MCE outlines new disbursement modalities of PWDS share of DACF. Accra: Ghanaweb. Retrieved from https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Sagnarigu-MCE-outlines-new-disbursement-modalities-of-PWDS-share-of-DACF-657490
Ghanaweb (2018c, October 29). We are implementing growth-inclusive and human-centred policies - Dr. Bawumia. Accra: Ghanaweb. Retrieved from https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/We-are-implementing-growth-inclusive-and-human-centred-policies-Dr-Bawumia-696337
Gyamfi, E. A. (2013). Ghana: Country Report. In C. G. Ngwena, I. Grobbelaar‐du Plessis, H. Combrinck, & S. D. Kamga (Eds.), African disability rights yearbook 2013 (pp. 221–243). Pretoria: Pretoria University Law Press (PULP).
Hemmingsson, H., & Jonsson, H. (2005). An occupational perspective on the concept of participation in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health--some critical remarks. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy : Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 59, 569–576.
Imrie, R. (2004). Demystifying disability: a review of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Sociology of Health & Illness, 26, 287–305. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9566.2004.00391.x
Leonardi, M., Bickenbach, J., Ustun, T. B., Kostanjsek, N., & Chatterji, S. (2006). The definition of disability: what is in a name? The Lancet, 368, 1219–1221. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69498-1
Mashaw, J. L., Reno, V., Burkhauser, R. V., & Berkowitz, M. (1996). Disability, Work, and Cash Benefits: W.E. Upjohn Institute.
Mont, D. (2007). Measuring health and disability. The Lancet, 369, 1658–1663. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60752-1
Myjoyonline.com (2018, April 30). Federation of Disability displeased with new common funds distribution process. Accra: Myjoyonline.com. Retrieved from https://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2018/April-30th/federation-of-disability-displeased-with-new-common-funds-distribution-process.php
Naami, A. (2015). Disability, gender, and employment relationships in Africa: The case of Ghana. African Journal of Disability, 4. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v4i1.95
Naami, A., & Mikey-Iddrisu, A. (2013). Empowering Persons with Disabilities to Reduce Poverty: A Case Study of Action on Disability and Development, Ghana. Journal of General Practice, 01. https://doi.org/10.4172/2329-9126.1000113
Guidelines for the disbursment and management of the district assembly common fund allocation to persons with disability, National Council On Persons With Disability; Ghana Federation of the Disabled 2010.
Ofuani, A. I. (2011). The right to economic empowerment of persons with disabilities in Nigeria: How enabled? African Human Rights Law Journal, 11, 639–658.
Palmer, M., & Harley, D. (2012). Models and measurement in disability: an international review. Health Policy and Planning, 27, 357–364. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czr047
Pavli, A. (2017). Creative Disability Classification Systems: The case of Greece, 1990-2015. Studies from The Swedish Institute for Disability Research. Örebro: Örebro University.
SEND-Ghana. (2014). Making the two Percent of the District Assemblies Common Fund Work for Persons with Disability (Policy Brief No. 1). Retrieved from SEND-Ghana website: http://sendwestafrica.org/index.php/media-link/latest-news/item/27-making-two-percent-of-dacf-work-for-persons-with-disability
SEND-Ghana. (2017). Address issues related to two percent of DACF. Accra. Retrieved from SEND-Ghana website: http://www.sendwestafrica.org/index.php/news1/item/16-address-issues-related-to-two-percent-of-dacf
Slikker, J. (2009). Attitudes Towards Persons With Disability In Ghana. Accra. Retrieved from VSO Ghana website: https://www.medbox.org/attitudes-towards-persons-with-disability-in…/download.pdf
Thomas, C. (2004). How is disability understood? An examination of sociological approaches. Disability & Society, 19, 569–583. https://doi.org/10.1080/0968759042000252506
Tsengu, D. V., Brodtkorb, S., & Almnes, T. (2006). CBR and Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. In S. Hartley (Ed.), CBR as part of community development: A poverty reduction strategy (pp. 49–63). London: University College London, Centre for International Child Health.
World Health Organisation. (2001). International classification of impairments, disabilities, and handicaps. Geneva: WHO.
Wright, P., & Boer, W. de. (2002). Introduction. In Council of Europe (Ed.), Integration of people with disabilities. Assessing disability in Europe - Similarities and differences (pp. 7–23). Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publ.
Adjei-Domfeh, P. (2015). Management of the Disability Common Fund: challenges and impact on the lives of persons with disabilities in Kumasi metropolis of Ghana (M.Sc). Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. Retrieved from http://ir.knust.edu.gh/xmlui/handle/123456789/8621?show=full
Admon-Rick, G. (2014). Impaired Encoding. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 39, 105–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/0162243913508326
Agboga, R. S. (2015). The Contributions Of The Districts Disability Common Fund To The Well-Being Of Beneficiaries In Ada East District (M.A). University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. Retrieved from http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/21814
Barnes, C., & Mercer, G. (1997). Breaking the Mould?: An introduction to doing disability research. In C. Barnes & G. Mercer (Eds.), Doing disability research (pp. 1–14). Leeds: Disability Press.
Berg, R. L., & Cassells, J. S. (Eds.). (1992). The Second Fifty Years: Promoting Health and Preventing Disability. Washington (DC).
Bury, M. (2000). A comment on the ICIDH2. Disability & Society, 15, 1073–1077. https://doi.org/10.1080/713662025
Council of Europe (Ed.). (2002). Integration of people with disabilities. Assessing disability in Europe - Similarities and differences. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publ.
District Assemblies Common Fund Secretariat. (2014). The Common Fund Newsletter (No. 2). Accra. Retrieved from District Assemblies Common Fund Secretariat website: http://www.commonfund.gov.gh/Final%20DACF.pdf
District Assemblies Common Fund Secretariat. (2018). Upper East Region 2018: Yearly Funds for Upper East Rion. Retrieved from http://www.commonfund.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=379&Itemid=395
Drabek, M. L. (2014). Classify and label: The unintended marginalization of social groups. Lanham, Md.: Lexington Books.
Drake, R. F. (1999). Understanding disability policies. Basingstoke: Macmillan.
Edusei, A. K., Adjei-Domfeh, P., Mprah, W. K., Opoku, M. P., Badu, E., & Appiah, C. S. (2016). Assessing the Impact and Uses of the Disability Common Fund Among Persons with Disabilities in Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana. REVIEW of DISABILITY STUDIES: an INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, 12. Retrieved from https://www.rdsjournal.org/index.php/journal/article/download/526/1718
Employment and Social Affairs. (2002). Definition of Disability in Europe: A Comparative Analysis. Brunel University.
Fougeyrollas, P., & Beauregard, L. (2001). Disability: An Interactive Person-Environment Social Creation. In G. L. Albrecht, K. D. Seelman, & M. Bury (Eds.), Handbook of disability studies (pp. 171–194). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412976251.n7
Fratello, F., & Scorretti, C. (2002). Comparative Analysis Of The Typology Of Assessment Criteria Used For The Allocation Of Benefits In Cash And In Kind To Persons With Disabilities. In Council of Europe (Ed.), Integration of people with disabilities. Assessing disability in Europe - Similarities and differences (pp. 135–155). Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publ.
Ghana Federation of the Disabled. (n.d). The Disability Situation in Ghana. Retrieved from https://www.medbox.org/gh-disability/the-disability-situation-in-ghana/preview?
Ghana Statistical Service. (2014). 2010 Population and Housing Census Report: Disability in Ghana. Accra.
Ghanaweb (2018a, January 29). Government pays GHC31m to PWDs, HIV patients. Accra: Ghanaweb. Retrieved from https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Government-pays-GHC31m-to-PWDs-HIV-patients-621603
Ghanaweb (2018b, June 4). Sagnarigu MCE outlines new disbursement modalities of PWDS share of DACF. Accra: Ghanaweb. Retrieved from https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Sagnarigu-MCE-outlines-new-disbursement-modalities-of-PWDS-share-of-DACF-657490
Ghanaweb (2018c, October 29). We are implementing growth-inclusive and human-centred policies - Dr. Bawumia. Accra: Ghanaweb. Retrieved from https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/We-are-implementing-growth-inclusive-and-human-centred-policies-Dr-Bawumia-696337
Gyamfi, E. A. (2013). Ghana: Country Report. In C. G. Ngwena, I. Grobbelaar‐du Plessis, H. Combrinck, & S. D. Kamga (Eds.), African disability rights yearbook 2013 (pp. 221–243). Pretoria: Pretoria University Law Press (PULP).
Hemmingsson, H., & Jonsson, H. (2005). An occupational perspective on the concept of participation in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health--some critical remarks. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy : Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 59, 569–576.
Imrie, R. (2004). Demystifying disability: a review of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Sociology of Health & Illness, 26, 287–305. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9566.2004.00391.x
Leonardi, M., Bickenbach, J., Ustun, T. B., Kostanjsek, N., & Chatterji, S. (2006). The definition of disability: what is in a name? The Lancet, 368, 1219–1221. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69498-1
Mashaw, J. L., Reno, V., Burkhauser, R. V., & Berkowitz, M. (1996). Disability, Work, and Cash Benefits: W.E. Upjohn Institute.
Mont, D. (2007). Measuring health and disability. The Lancet, 369, 1658–1663. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60752-1
Myjoyonline.com (2018, April 30). Federation of Disability displeased with new common funds distribution process. Accra: Myjoyonline.com. Retrieved from https://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2018/April-30th/federation-of-disability-displeased-with-new-common-funds-distribution-process.php
Naami, A. (2015). Disability, gender, and employment relationships in Africa: The case of Ghana. African Journal of Disability, 4. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v4i1.95
Naami, A., & Mikey-Iddrisu, A. (2013). Empowering Persons with Disabilities to Reduce Poverty: A Case Study of Action on Disability and Development, Ghana. Journal of General Practice, 01. https://doi.org/10.4172/2329-9126.1000113
Guidelines for the disbursment and management of the district assembly common fund allocation to persons with disability, National Council On Persons With Disability; Ghana Federation of the Disabled 2010.
Ofuani, A. I. (2011). The right to economic empowerment of persons with disabilities in Nigeria: How enabled? African Human Rights Law Journal, 11, 639–658.
Palmer, M., & Harley, D. (2012). Models and measurement in disability: an international review. Health Policy and Planning, 27, 357–364. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czr047
Pavli, A. (2017). Creative Disability Classification Systems: The case of Greece, 1990-2015. Studies from The Swedish Institute for Disability Research. Örebro: Örebro University.
SEND-Ghana. (2014). Making the two Percent of the District Assemblies Common Fund Work for Persons with Disability (Policy Brief No. 1). Retrieved from SEND-Ghana website: http://sendwestafrica.org/index.php/media-link/latest-news/item/27-making-two-percent-of-dacf-work-for-persons-with-disability
SEND-Ghana. (2017). Address issues related to two percent of DACF. Accra. Retrieved from SEND-Ghana website: http://www.sendwestafrica.org/index.php/news1/item/16-address-issues-related-to-two-percent-of-dacf
Slikker, J. (2009). Attitudes Towards Persons With Disability In Ghana. Accra. Retrieved from VSO Ghana website: https://www.medbox.org/attitudes-towards-persons-with-disability-in…/download.pdf
Thomas, C. (2004). How is disability understood? An examination of sociological approaches. Disability & Society, 19, 569–583. https://doi.org/10.1080/0968759042000252506
Tsengu, D. V., Brodtkorb, S., & Almnes, T. (2006). CBR and Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. In S. Hartley (Ed.), CBR as part of community development: A poverty reduction strategy (pp. 49–63). London: University College London, Centre for International Child Health.
World Health Organisation. (2001). International classification of impairments, disabilities, and handicaps. Geneva: WHO.
Wright, P., & Boer, W. de. (2002). Introduction. In Council of Europe (Ed.), Integration of people with disabilities. Assessing disability in Europe - Similarities and differences (pp. 7–23). Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publ.