By MSM

Every July, Disability Pride Month is observed worldwide to celebrate the resilience, contributions, and rights of persons with disabilities. In Sierra Leone, where about 15% of the population lives with some form of disability, the month serves as a reminder of the challenges faced and the progress still needed toward inclusion and accessibility.

Many Sierra Leoneans with disabilities live with limited access to education, healthcare, employment, and social services. Stigma and discrimination remain widespread, compounded by infrastructural barriers like inaccessible buildings and transport. The legacy of past conflicts and health epidemics has also contributed to the country’s disability demographics.

Disability rights organizations such as the Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues (SLUDI) and the National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD) mark Disability Pride Month by raising awareness through media campaigns, public talks, and community outreach programs. These activities aim to promote the message that disability is a form of human diversity, not inability.

Efforts focus on encouraging the government and private sector to enforce the 2011 Persons with Disability Act, which provides a legal framework for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. Advocates call for improved accessibility standards, inclusive education policies, and increased opportunities for economic empowerment.

While progress has been made, much work remains. Many schools and workplaces still lack accommodations such as ramps, Braille materials, and sign language interpretation. Employment rates for persons with disabilities remain low, and assistive devices like wheelchairs and hearing aids are often scarce and costly.

Civil society organizations continue to partner with international bodies like the United Nations and NGOs to implement programs supporting skills development, inclusive education, and healthcare access for persons with disabilities.

Disability Pride Month in Sierra Leone is a call for society at large to recognize the rights, talents, and dignity of persons with disabilities. Building a more inclusive Sierra Leone requires:

Full implementation and enforcement of disability rights legislation. Accessible infrastructure in schools, public buildings, and transport, and inclusive education that accommodates children with disabilities.

Also, Economic empowerment through vocational training and fair employment. Availability of affordable assistive devices, and public awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination.

Inclusion benefits everyone by ensuring that all Sierra Leoneans have the chance to contribute meaningfully to their communities and the nation’s development.