Resident Coordinator Babatunde Ahonsi's statement at the launch of the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Programme

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome, and thank you for joining us to launch this important new programme on ‘Advancing Disability Inclusion in Sierra Leone,’ a partnership of the Government of Sierra Leone, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, the UN country team, NGOs, and others. 

I appreciate the remarks that have just been made by the other distinguished opening speakers and will add a few reflections on behalf of the United Nations Sierra Leone.

The UN Country Team is proud to join with other partners to implement this programme and is committed to disability rights and inclusion in Sierra Leone. 

Disability rights is an important element of our multi-year Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework with the Government.  One of four Outcome Areas under the Framework is ‘Protection and Empowerment of the Most Vulnerable.’  It is noteworthy that both elements are included -- ‘Protection’ and ‘Empowerment’ – as both are equally important to disability rights and inclusion. 

Therefore, the UN country team was eager to pursue this funding opportunity through the global UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This Partnership, established in 2011, brings together UN agencies to support the county-level implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Sierra Leone has signed.

The fact that Sierra Leone was awarded a grant is a credit to efforts and partnerships already present in country towards advancing disability rights and inclusion.   

Let me commend the Ministry of Social Welfare, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, the NGOs, and UN colleagues, who contributed to the initial Expression of Interest and other elements of the Inception Phase in 2021, which included Research and Consultations to inform a Situational Analysis Report and development of the Full Proposal. 

The engagement of diverse stakeholders was an important element of the Inception Phase, and we appreciate the contributions of all.

The eight activities chosen for this program were selected based both on the country’s needs as identified in the country Situational Analysis report and the specific criteria of the UNPRPD funding round.  

Partnerships will continue to be an important theme throughout the program.  We count on your support in multiple ways, including:

1. Technical inputs to the design of new systems.
2. Compiling and sharing of good practices.
3. Tracking progress on identified objectives.
4. Bringing in new partners to support our mission, and
5. Raising awareness of disability rights among duty bearers, rights holders, and the general population on matters of disability inclusion—on this last point, we especially appeal to our media partners to help us reach the general population with disability inclusion messages.

The United Nations is committed to the success of this program, especially the three implementing agencies: UNFPA, UNDP, and UNICEF.  

Let me especially thank the Honourable Minister of Social Welfare, Madam Baindu Dassama-Kamara and her team for their commitment to the start-up of this program and their range of work in support of persons with disabilities. 

Thank you again for being here, and I look forward to the work that we will accomplish together in the coming months.