Accra, Jan. 22, GNA - A three-day forum on Persons With Disability (PWD) has been opened in Qatar’s capital Doha, with a call on governments and civil society groups to reconsider the major challenges confronting the physically challenged, particularly in conflict and crisis situation.

The forum dubbed: “Crisis, Conflict and Disability: Ensuring Equality”, will focus on the impact of crisis and conditions on PWDs in refugee camps and conflict zones in the Middle East and Africa, and how recent natural disasters in Japan, Haiti, Pakistan, and the US have affected persons with disabilities.

Ghana’s First Lady, Dr. Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills is among selected First Ladies across the globe attending the forum.

This is the fifth in the series of international forums hosted by the Shafallah Centre for Children with Special Needs in Doha.

Dr. Mrs. Mills during a brief interaction with her colleague first ladies, drew the attention of world leaders to some cultural practices that pose a greater challenge particularly to persons with disabilities.

She called for dialogue among policy makers and traditional authorities to do all that they could to remove such practices.

Dr. Mrs. Mills said these practices could increase the level of marginalization that persons with disabilities face, especially during crisis and conflict situations.

As part of the forum, Ghana’s First Lady will present the country’s plan for removing the bottlenecks associated with providing equal access and opportunities for all persons living with disabilities.