Coordinated Action on Disability in Liberia (CAD-L)

INTERMEDIATE OUTCOME 1. The general public has changed attitudes towards the socio-economic contribution PWDs make to Liberia Results example 1: Local authorities in Bong, Lofa, Bomi, Nimba and Montserrado counties have taken steps to address inclusion of persons with disabilities in governance decision making. In Bomi County, roundtable dialogues have resulted in a notable shift in how PWDs are perceived. Community members reported that now they address PWDs by their names rather than focusing solely on their disabilities. Furthermore, government institutions have begun to view PWDs as key stakeholders in county discussions, allowing them to actively participate and cast votes at county development meetings, rather than being mere observers. Nimba County has taken strong steps to recognise and include persons with disabilities in local development. PWDs are regularly invited to county development meetings, and the local county government has constructed an activity center to facilitate their engagement. Moreover, PWDs are now represented on the nine -member county council established by the local government. Accessibility improvements, such as the installation of ramps in public areas like clinics and the local education office in Ganta, have enhanced their participation. Lofa County has made some progress in ensuring public buildings' accessibility, including key locations like the administrative building, Voinjama police station, Kolahun hospital, and the new police station in Kolahun. In Bong County, a local government activity center has been established, allowing PWDs to actively participate in county development meetings as engaged participants. Montserrado County has promoted PWD inclusion in development meetings, with consistent support from the National Commission on Disabilities to facilitate their participation in initiatives aimed at promoting their well-being. INTERMEDIATE OUTCOME 2. Social actors have a defined collective agreement on decent work for PWDs Results example 2: Social dialogue on persons with disability employment has revealed key constraints and recommendations. Social dialogues on disability inclusion were held at county and national levels to formulate a comprehensive national roadmap for promoting decent work for persons with disabilities. Top three constraints to employment opportunities for persons where disabilities were identified: Lack of Education and Skills (46%): This is the most frequently reported reason for PWD unemployment. Many PWDs lack the necessary education and skills required for specific job roles, making them less competitive in the job marketDisability or Physical Condition (29%): PWDs often face barriers related to their disabilities or physical conditions. Employers may perceive them as less capable, and this perception can hinder their employment opportunities. Accessibility Issues (25%): The lack of accessibility in workplaces is a significant hindrance. Insufficient accommodations and inaccessible infrastructure limit PWDs from filling roles that require mobility within a building or other facilities. To address the issues that limit employment opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs), three key recommendations have emerged as prominent solutions: Government Support and Development (36%): The government of Liberia should prioritize and invest in the wellbeing of PWDs. This includes allocating resources in the national budget to support PWDs and ensuring that new structures are constructed with accommodations and accessibility features for them Awareness and Inclusion (33%): Raising awareness about the rights and inclusion of PWDs is crucial. More efforts are needed to educate employers, employees, and the community at large. Increasing awareness will foster a more positive attitude towards hosting and working with PWDs and Capacity Building and Training (31%): Enhancing the skills and capacities of PWDs through various training programs, including vocational training, is essential. These programs are key to preparing PWDs for better integration into the job market. INTERMEDIATE OUTCOME 3. Concrete steps taken by Duty Bearers (DBs) and CSOs have created new opportunities for PWDs employment, self employment and entrepreneurship in the public and private sectors. Results example 3: (TVET component) Accessiblity audit completed in 5 TVET institutions in 5 counties to pave the way for the enrolment of persons with disabilities in TVET education. AIFO Liberia collaborated with AIFO Mongolia to deliver an online training for NCD staff and Persons with Disabilities to perform TVET accessibility audit. The training had the following objectives: -Acquire Accessibility Audit Skills. Participants aimed to acquire skills related to accessibility audits that align with international standards. -Consistent Criteria for Audit. The training aimed to ensure the consistent development and utilization of criteria for accessibility audits across the five identified TVET institutions Format Development. Participants sought to develop a clear format for conducting audits in various categories, including infrastructure, curricula, staff capacity, organizational structure, and more -Recommend Remedies. The training aimed to equip attendees with the skills to recommend remedies for identified accessibility gaps. The facilitators covered various topics, including: Universal Design Accessibility Laws, Standards, and Norms Accessing Accessibility Using knowledge and tools gained from the training, AIFO and NCD concluded assessibility audits of 5 TVET institutions. Next steps include adaptation plans and resources for the institutions based on the identified needs and the TVET scholarships for persons with disabilities direct participation in TVET education. Results example 4: (SRHRs Component) Women and men with disabilities have improved knowledge about SRHRs and increased access to Family Planning services and products. The project developed two training manuals working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, DKT International and external consultants. One manual addresses the knowledge needs in SHRH for persons with disabilities and the other manual address knowledge, attitude and skills need for health workers regarding access to SRHR for persons with disabilities. A total of 50 persons with disabilities received 5days training of trainers workshop to enable them gain knowledge and confidence to access SRHR and to support understanding amongst other members of their peers. In addition, 165 health workers from Lofa, Bong, Nimba, Bomi and Montserrado counties received training in disability awareness to support their understanding of the barriers and constraints for persons with disabilities access to SRHR information and services. The project printed and distributed 100 copies of the two manuals with five copies in braille for continuous reference and learning. Prior to undertaking these processes, AIFO carried out an assessment in the prior year of factors affecting women with disabilities access to SRHR information, products, and services. The assessment found that poor health care workers attitude, lack of physical assessibility to buildings, lack of sign language interpretation etc where amongst constraints faced by persons with disabilities access to SRHR services. Despite Liberia embracing nondiscrimination in its health policies, discrimination existed for persons with disabilities equal access to services. The Swedish support to AIFO is part of important efforts to supporting the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to ensure that persons with disabilities are given fair and equal access within MOHs strategy for family planning and commodities provision. The long term goal is to foster policy dialogues between organizations representing the rights of persons with disabilities and stakeholders involved in SRHRs in Liberia.

Project overall objective: Persons with disabilities act as advocates and agents of change for an equitable and inclusive Liberia Project specific objective: PWDs have improved economic independence INTERMEDIATE OUTCOME 1. The general public has changed attitudes towards the socio-economic contribution PWDs make to Liberia INTERMEDIATE OUTCOME 2. Social actors have a defined collective agreement on decent work for PWDs INTERMEDIATE OUTCOME 3. Concrete steps taken by Duty Bearers (DBs) and CSOs have created new opportunities for PWDs employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship in the public and private sectors