FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, 3 December 2024: On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was honored with a Certificate of Recognition for its outstanding contributions to disability inclusion in Sierra Leone.  

Through a joint programme funded by the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) and implemented alongside UNDP and UNICEF, UNFPA worked closely with the Ministry of Social Welfare and, organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to strengthen the capacity of rights holders in advocating for disability inclusion, partnered with Statistics Sierra Leone to develop a Disability Dashboard for SDG monitoring, and supported the development of a checklist for assessment the disability inclusiveness of national policies. These interventions aim to ensure that development initiatives are disability inclusive.

Accepting the Award from the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, UNFPA Deputy Representative, Sibeso Mululuma expressed UNFPA’s deep appreciation of the recognition and noted that it reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to advancing the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in Sierra Leone,” She further noted UNFPA’’s work was well aligned with the 2024 theme for the international Day of Persons with Disabilities which underscored the critical need to empower people with disabilities, enabling them to take on the leadership roles required to ensure that the specific needs of persons with disabilities are addressed in all development efforts.

The ceremony, hosted by the Ministry of Social Welfare, featured distinguished attendees, including the Vice President of Sierra Leone, First Lady Fatima Maada Bio, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development,Government Ministerie UN Agencies and Organizations of persons with disabilities.

Media contact: Islander Kabia | Communications Unit | UNFPA Sierra Leone | ikabia@unfpa.org