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The Minister of Social Welfare, Melrose Karminty, during the opening session of the Global Disability Summit 2025, delivered a compelling address on behalf of the government of Sierra Leone.
She expressed profound gratitude to the event organizers, particularly the Global Disability Fund (GDF), for their unwavering commitment to advancing disability inclusion both nationally and globally.
Minister Karminty underscored that Sierra Leone stands at a pivotal moment, navigating post-conflict recovery, economic hardships, and the growing threats of climate change and natural disasters.
These challenges, she emphasized, necessitate the establishment of inclusive and accessible frameworks that transcend mere data collection, adding that Instead, the focus must shift towards building resilient systems that can withstand crises while ensuring the protection and empowerment of individuals with disabilities.
Highlighting the progress made since 2022, Minister Karminty acknowledged GDF’s instrumental role in strengthening Sierra Leone’s data collection systems and social protection policies. However, she emphasized the need for a forward-thinking approach that scales and refines these interventions to create robust, disaster-ready mechanisms.
She called upon the Global Disability Fund and other international partners to support four key areas such as prioritizing investment in disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction, strengthening preparedness through accessible emergency response systems, building the capacity of government ministries and emergency teams to integrate disability inclusion in disaster planning, and empowering organizations of persons with disabilities through leadership training and advocacy.
The Minister reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to building a future where disability inclusion is not an afterthought but a cornerstone of national development. She urged global partners to join forces in transforming intent into action, fostering a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable society for all.
The Global Disability Summit 2025 is a significant international event focused on promoting the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities worldwide.
