GSA calls for greater inclusion and acceptance of people who stammer

The Ghana Stammering Association (GSA) has advocated for increased comprehension, acceptance, and inclusion of individuals who stammer, urging the general public to foster environments where they can communicate without fear of mockery or prejudice. This call comes as part of the association's observance of International Stammering Awareness Day 2026, which took place throughout October under the theme “Shades of Stuttering — What’s Yours?”

The GSA's Executive Director, Elias Apreko, highlighted that the theme acknowledges the variability in the manifestation of stammering among individuals. Some people may repeat sounds, words, or phrases, extend sounds, or experience silent blocks while speaking, while others might mask their stammering by altering words, avoiding specific situations, denying knowledge of answers, or choosing not to speak.

The association noted that certain individuals employ speech techniques to manage their stammering, while others prioritize acceptance. Many exhibit a blend of these coping strategies. The GSA emphasized that the commemoration offers a platform to acknowledge the diverse experiences of people who stammer, including the obstacles they confront and the beneficial insights they might derive from these challenges.

The organization pointed out that people who stammer may face stigma, bullying, discrimination, communication barriers, and pressure to speak fluently. However, the GSA also noted that some individuals cultivate heightened self-awareness, resilience, empathy, advocacy abilities, and meaningful connections through their stammering experiences.

The GSA urged people who stammer to share their personal narratives to enable the public to understand that there isn't a singular way to stammer or experience life as a person who stammers. The association called upon parents, educators, employers, speech-language therapists, researchers, policymakers, and the broader public to listen to the experiences of people who stammer and consider measures to promote inclusion.

Creating supportive environments where everyone can communicate and participate without fear of discrimination was stressed as a necessity. During this year's observance, the GSA posed questions to the public, such as what their stammering experience has been, what they have learned from it, and what collective actions can be taken to forge a more inclusive society.