Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies and Advancing Social Progress

Insights, SDG-10

Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies and Advancing Social Progress

December 2, 2025
By University Communications

The authors, Dr. Millicent Adjei and Nicholas Arthur–Baidoo Jnr, lead disability inclusion efforts at Ashesi University. Dr. Adjei is the Director of International Programs and Campus Cohesion, while Nicholas Arthur–Baidoo Jr. provides sign language and accessibility support to ensure full participation for all community members.

Around the world, more than 1.3 billion people live with a disability (WHO, 2023). That means one in every six people experiences a disability. Yet far too many continue to face barriers that limit their mobility, access to education, participation in social life, and ability to contribute fully to their communities. As a result, societies lose out on talent, ideas, and human potential. As we mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities under the theme “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” one truth stands out: societies cannot progress when large parts of the population are excluded.

Global frameworks have long recognised that disability inclusion is essential to development. The Salamanca Statement on Special Needs Education (1994) argued that inclusive education is the most effective pathway to building inclusive societies and dismantling discriminatory attitudes. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 10) call on countries to reduce inequalities based on disability, age, race, sex, origin, or economic status. Despite these commitments, progress remains uneven. The World Health Organisation (2023), Global Survey Report on Persons with Disabilities (2024), and UNFPA (2025) all highlight that 80% of persons with disabilities live in developing countries, where inaccessible environments and stigma continue to limit participation.

Ghana, for example, has taken important steps, including the Inclusive Education Policy (2015) and the 2025 introduction of free tertiary education for persons with disabilities. These measures increase access, but they do not automatically address systemic barriers such as quality of instruction, discrimination, and exclusionary attitudes. The policy laid a foundation, but its impact will depend on how well institutions translate policy into everyday practice.

Ashesi’s Work in Disability Inclusion

Disability inclusion is embedded in Ashesi’s mission to educate ethical and entrepreneurial leaders in Africa. In 2022, Ashesi committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities make up at least 4% of its campus population. The University also established an Accessibility Office to oversee this effort and work with various teams to ensure collective awareness of ways to support this goal. After benchmarking with institutions in Ghana, across Africa, and globally, the University developed a formal policy to guide classroom practice, campus accessibility, and staff engagement. The Accessibility Office drives implementation of this policy by providing assistive technology and resources, providing dedicated in-classroom support to students, working with faculty to make course materials and content accessible, and continuous community sensitization. Today, 4.4% of Ashesi’s student body identifies as having a disclosed disability, and the university continues to implement a multi-layered approach to inclusion.

Lessons So Far

Have an institutional goal for disability inclusion with clear timelines and actionable strategies.
Institutions should establish clear targets and hold themselves accountable. Additionally, to ensure effective implementation, clear timelines and strategies should be established, extending beyond merely formulating social compliance policies.

Remove financial and systemic barriers
Ghana, as an example, is pioneering scholarships for all persons with disabilities from the basic to the tertiary level to advance inclusion. Institutions should prioritise providing financial support to persons with disabilities to have access to education. This removes one of the major barriers to education. In the long run, it benefits the country and reduces the dependency ratio for persons living with disabilities.

Build community competence to be disability friendly and accessible
Institutions should implement strategies that enhance the competencies of their community members to be inclusive and accessible. This includes training and workshops on accessibility and inclusion, inclusive pedagogy for faculty, frequent sensitisation programs, and inclusive language training, among others. There should also be representation of persons with disability in decision-making processes. This will help build a community that is inclusive and make all people feel like they belong.

Inclusion is not simply a box to tick; it is a long-term commitment to a world where everyone can participate fully. Although there is still work to be done, Ashesi’s experience demonstrates that with intentional goals, strong policies, adequate resources, and a culture rooted in dignity, higher education institutions can contribute to meaningful progress. When universities embed disability inclusion into their day-to-day operations, they help build societies where every individual’s strengths contribute to social and economic advancement.