MindFreedom Ghana in collaboration with other NGOs and the media organised a range of in-country consultations in the context of a national dialogues aiming to promote the human rights conditions of persons with psychosocial disabilities. A key outcome is the Shadow Report on the Universal Peer Review (UPR) process to the UN Human Rights Council. The UPR process presents a means to regularly monitor, assess and report on Ghana’s human rights performance generally, and specifically on mental health and psychosocial disabilities with a view to develop recommendations to address any identified gaps.
Grow Your Dream Foundation (GYDF) joined the public event for launching the report, which took place in Accra on 14 July, 2022. The event was organised by MindFreedom Ghana, an NGO established 18 years ago with the vision to improve the mental health and minds of persons with mental disability in Ghana and to promote their human rights and dignity. GYDF and the MindFreedom Ghana team lead by Executive Director Mr Dan Taylor have been discussing actions for addressing the mental health treatment gap in the Volta Region since 2021. Joint activities are currently under preparation.
Speakers at the event included Prof Akwesi Osei, CEO of the Mental Health Authority; Mr Clement Kadogbe, Representative from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ); Dr Sofonias Astrat, Representative of the UN Resident Coordinator; and Madam Esther Akua Gyamfi, Executive Secretary of the National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPD). Also present were participants from all of Ghana’s 16 Regions, Development Partners, Government Agencies, Civil society organisations, and the media.
GYDF Director Jacob Ahiave with MindFreedom Ghana Executive Director, Mr Dan Taylor
GYDF Director Jacob Ahiave with Dr Eugene K Dordoye, MindFreedom Ghana Board Member and Mental Health Consultant