NCPD

28/08/2026

NCPD REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE YOUTH PARTICIPATION AND DISABILITY LEADERSHIP

Freetown, Sierra Leone — The Chairman and Chief Commissioner of the National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD), Brima Abdulai Sheriff, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring the meaningful participation and leadership of young persons with disabilities in local governance and national development.

Speaking at the National Youth Conference on Shared Learning and Policy Influencing Local Governance, organised by CCYA and ActionAid under the Youth Action for Good Governance and Self-Reliance Project with support from the European Union, Chairman Sheriff stressed that young people with disabilities must not merely be consulted or invited to meetings, but must have the opportunity to speak, influence decisions and lead.

“Inclusion is not simply about being invited into the room. It is about having a voice, influencing decisions and having the opportunity to lead.”

He noted that young persons with disabilities continue to face barriers arising from inaccessible systems, discrimination, stigma, poverty and limited access to education, employment, technology, information and political participation.

Chairman Sheriff further reaffirmed the NCPD’s commitment to advancing Recommendation 50, describing it as an important pathway towards greater representation of persons with disabilities in political and public decision-making.

He emphasised that Recommendation 50 is not only about numbers, but about representation, voice, participation, influence, leadership and equality.

The Chairman said the NCPD will continue working with Government institutions, Local Councils, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, youth groups, political parties, civil society and development partners to remove barriers and create meaningful opportunities for persons with disabilities—particularly young people and women—to participate in governance and leadership.

He also highlighted the NCPD’s PRIDE Strategy 2025–2028, which seeks to advance Policy, Resilience, Inclusion and Innovation, Dignity and Empowerment as the Commission’s framework for disability transformation.

“The success of our commitment will not be measured by the words we speak, but by the opportunities we create, the barriers we remove, the voices we amplify and the lives we transform.”

Chairman Sheriff called on young persons with disabilities to register, organise, build their leadership capacities and actively participate in civic, political and governance processes.

NCPD remains committed to building a Sierra Leone where disability is not a barrier to citizenship, leadership or opportunity—and where persons with disabilities are not at the margins of decision-making, but at the centre of it.

28/08/2026

28/08/2026

CBR DIALOGUE IN PORT LOKO. NCPD AND OFP DRIVING THE ENGAGEMENT

28/08/2026

NCPD and One Family People Advance Disability Inclusion in Port Loko

On 27th August 2026, The National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD) and One Family People (OFP) have co-organised a Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Dialogue in Port Loko Town, bringing together over 50 persons with disabilities from different OPDs across Port Loko District, alongside government representatives, traditional leaders and other stakeholders.

The dialogue focused on community-led solutions, capacity building, accessible services and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities.

NCPD Programme Support Ivanson Kargbo stressed the importance of communities taking the lead, while M&E Officer Patrick Koroma described the engagement as an important capacity-building session.

NCPD Chairman and Chief Commissioner Brima Abdulai Sheriff highlighted the impact of CBR in other countries and acknowledged government efforts towards disability inclusion, while stressing that more needs to be done.

OFP Operations Manager Samuel Macualey reaffirmed OFP’s commitment to promoting inclusive, accessible and community-based solutions for persons with disabilities.

Stakeholders, including the PPRC, Ministry of Social Welfare, traditional leaders and SLUDI, called for stronger participation of persons with disabilities in governance, improved access to justice and services, and greater collaboration.

The dialogue reaffirmed a shared commitment to accessibility, respect, inclusion and the principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us.”

Inclusion begins in the community.

26/08/2026

Empowering Communities, Advancing Disability Rights: The Kono CBR Dialogue

On Tuesday 25th August 2026 the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), in partnership with OneFamilyPeople (OFP), concluded a Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) dialogue in Kono, bringing together representatives of SLUDI, OPDs, the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), and the Kono District Council.

The dialogue focused on identifying barriers faced by persons with disabilities and strengthening collective action towards a rights-based, inclusive and community-owned approach to disability inclusion.

NCPD Chairman Brima Abdulai Sheriff stressed that CBR is a shared responsibility involving families, communities, government institutions and other stakeholders.

“Community-Based Rehabilitation must be understood as a collective process. Families, communities and stakeholders must own it, because inclusion cannot be achieved by one institution alone.”

Sorie Ibrahim Koroma, Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Advisor for One Family People, explained that CBR goes beyond identifying barriers by bringing stakeholders together to find practical solutions and take action.

Representing SLUDI, Hawa Marrah highlighted challenges including unemployment, discrimination and exclusion, while calling for stronger interventions and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in development processes.

Representing the PPRC, Yusuf Koroma, Gender and Disability Officer, encouraged persons with disabilities to register with political parties, become active members and position themselves to participate meaningfully in political and democratic processes.

Moses Kanneh of the Kono District Council reaffirmed the Council’s willingness to work with persons with disabilities and encouraged OPDs to engage directly with the Council and communicate their concerns.

The dialogue also generated recommendations on political participation, stakeholder coordination, access to services, and challenges faced by students with disabilities in tertiary institutions. Participants further acknowledged the positive relationship between persons with disabilities and the Sierra Leone Police in Kono, as well as the important role of the media in promoting disability awareness.

The Kono dialogue reaffirmed a central message of CBR:

Disability inclusion is not only about providing services—it is about identifying barriers, strengthening rights, mobilising communities and working collectively to remove exclusion.

25/08/2026