Mrs Thywill Eyra Kpe, Volta Regional Director, Department of Gender, has said that Adolescents with Disabilities Clinic (AWDC) would offer essential information and services to address critical needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). The Clinic; an on-campus service delivery activity will bring essential service providers to offer wide range of essential services such as psycho-social counseling, and educational and career guidance to the adolescent. It is also a disability-centred participatory programme that informs, educates, and provides essential services towards reporting Gender-Based Violence (GBV), assertiveness, sexual reproductive health rights and career guidance. Mrs Kpe said the Department recognised that while protection against discrimination and abuse was guaranteed by the Constitution and the Disability Act (2006), the Clinic would help PWDs make informed decisions about their reproductive health. She said the Clinic would also equip young PWDs with knowledge, skills, and support netw orks to build their assertiveness, recognise and respond to abuse. Mrs Kpe said the Clinic would create awareness among Adolescents with Disabilities (AWDs) on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH), Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), their forms as well as available support services with focus on the unique needs of PWDs. She said it would empower PWDs with knowledge and skills to assert their rights, advocate against abuse and seek support when needed. Mrs Kpe said the Clinic would create an inclusive and safe space for AWDs to engage, share experiences and concerns with services providers and seek redress including psycho-social support. She noted that PWDs constituted a significant and often marginalized segment of the population in Ghana and often more vulnerable to various forms of abuse and discrimination. Mrs Kpe said as a result of their vulnerability, they faced unique challenges, including limited access to information, resources and essential services related to their rights a nd well-being. She said major obstacles preventing PWDs, especially adolescent boys and girls with disabilities from reaching their full potential were the stigma associated with the disability and attitudes of the families and communities towards them. The Clinic held at the Volta School for the Deaf and Blind, Hohoe was organised by the Volta Regional Department of Gender and the Volta Regional Coordinating Council in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Mr John Yaw Amegashitsi, Deputy Director at the Hohoe Municipal Assembly on behalf of Mr Daniel Noble Awume, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said the Clinic would go a long way to ensure that issues affecting AWDs be made clear while duty bearers took steps to see how they could address the issues. He said disability issues were at the heart of the Assembly and continuous support would be provided for PWDs. Mr Awume urged the management of the school to constantly and properly ensure that daily difficulties affecting the school were handled whilst the Education Directorate was informed about those which could not be instantly addressed. Mr George Agbefu Odikro, Assistant Headmaster, Academic, Volta School for the Deaf and Blind, commended the organisers for the initiative which would help the students. He said the school needed a toilet facility for female students while it also needed a fence wall to prevent theft of staff property, breaking into dormitories as well as encroachment. Mrs Janet Valerie Datsa Agbotse, Hohoe Municipal Director of Education, said the Clinic would positively impact the development of the students. Mr Elolo Agyei, Chairman, Hohoe Branch of Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD), appealed to all stakeholders to help the Federation and its members to be able to address pertinent issues that AWDs faced. The Clinic has also seen presentations on effects, prevention of adolescent pregnancy and STIs, SGBV and child marriage, and rights of PWDs. There was a general health screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), hepatitis B, counselling, and guidance. Source: Ghana News Agency