A Ghanaian woman has been elected Chair of the United Nations Committee on Disability.
Ms Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame was elected as the new Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), becoming the first African woman to lead the committee.
Ms Fefoame, who is also the global advocacy manager for social inclusion at Sightsavers, was elected to the position at the CRPD's 28th session in Geneva, Switzerland.
The meeting was held on March 7, just before International Women's Day.
Ms Fefoame has been a member of the committee since 2018, according to a statement from Sightsavers, which was copied to the Ghana News Agency.
The government of Ghana, her home country, first nominated her for the role. Ms Fefoame first joined the CRPD in response to the Sightsavers Equal UN campaign, which has been advocating for gender equality on UN committees since 2016.
Ms Fefoame was described in the statement as a lifelong disability rights advocate and champion of inclusive education, particularly for disabled girls.
"This is an incredible recognition of Gertrude's commitment and dedication to the rights of persons with disabilities, particularly women and girls," said Dom Haslam, deputy CEO of Sightsavers.
"Getty is a true force for the Convention's realization, and I have no doubt that she will lead the committee's work with the same energy and passion that she displays every day in her work for Sightsavers."
According to the statement, Ms Fefoame will lead the committee in its mission to promote, protect, and monitor the implementation of the rights of people with disabilities around the world in her new role as chair of the CRPD.
Overseeing the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which has been ratified by over 180 countries, is one of these responsibilities.
In a separate statement, the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations said they honored Ms. Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame as Ghana observed International Women's Day.
The GFD stated that she served on the GFD Board of Directors for eight years, until December 2022.
As a passionate advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, particularly women and girls with disabilities, her appointment as chairperson reflects the work she has done on the committee and the working groups she has served on.
She continues to inspire all women, including disabled women and girls, in Ghana and around the world.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) remains an important human rights treaty body that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
A continued Ghanaian presence on the Committee will strengthen Ghana's efforts on disability inclusion and human rights for all people worldwide, according to the GFD.
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