Case study: Participation and co-design, Ghana

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As part of Sightsavers’ Ghana Somubi Dwumadie (Ghana Participation Programme), inclusion champions participated alongside stakeholders in various consultation and co-creation workshops.

Findings from the project’s preliminary (formative) research showed:

that stigmatising language around disability was one of the key drivers of stigma
the double stigma of poverty and disability, with an example of young people who have a disability and also cannot contribute financially to the family

Watch the video below to see how people with disabilities were involved in co-designing and delivering the programme.

Various stakeholders, including people with disabilities, participated in workshops to develop a positive language guide adapted to different Ghanaian regions. People with disabilities explained what language was acceptable to them; in some cases contradicting the ‘experts’.

This was seen as positive and empowering for those who participated and resulted in disability language guides that were acceptable and relevant to the setting.

People with disabilities and other partners also pre-tested and adapted stigma materials for posters and radio jingles.

Approaches to reducing poverty were achieved by identifying complementary partners at the planning stage to support poverty-reduction measures, including access to economic empowerment opportunities, which can also help to reduce stigma.

Mixed methods used

Research (in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) and consultation with a range of stakeholders, including OPDs, at different stages in the design and planning process
Participatory co-design workshops: these were key in the design of language guides
Stigma materials: these were pre-tested with people with disabilities and other local key stakeholders to ensure relevance and acceptability to the local context