The Ghana Stammering Association (GSA) has called for greater understanding and inclusion of people who stammer, urging the public to create environments where everyone can speak without fear of ridicule or discrimination.
In a statement marking International Stammering Awareness Day 2026, the association said people experience stammering in different ways, and these differences should be recognised rather than viewed through a single perspective.
The GSA is joining the global stammering community to mark the awareness month throughout October under the theme, “Shades of Stuttering, What’s Yours?”
According to the association, the theme highlights the fact that stammering varies from person to person, with some experiences more noticeable than others.
“Some people may openly repeat sounds, words or phrases, stretch sounds, or get stuck when speaking — this is often described as overt stammering,” the statement explained.
Others may try to hide their stammering by changing words, avoiding certain situations, pretending not to know an answer or choosing to remain silent. These experiences are commonly described as covert stammering.
The association noted that people also use different approaches to manage their speech. While some rely on speech techniques, others focus on accepting their stammering, with many combining both approaches.
“These are all different shades of stammering, and every experience is valid,” GSA stated.
The GSA said the awareness campaign was an opportunity to recognise both the challenges people who stammer face and the positive experiences that can come from their journeys.
It identified stigma, bullying, discrimination, communication barriers and pressure to speak fluently as some of the difficulties they encounter.
However, the association said many people who stammer also develop self-awareness, resilience, empathy and advocacy skills, while building meaningful relationships through their experiences.
It encouraged people who stammer to share their stories to help the public better understand their experiences and appreciate that there is no single way to stammer.
“We encourage people who stammer to share their experiences and help others understand that there is no single way to stammer and no single way to experience life as a person who stammers,” it said.
The association also urged parents, teachers, employers, speech and language therapists, researchers, policymakers and the general public to listen to people who stammer and make their environments more inclusive.
It stressed the importance of allowing everyone to participate in conversations and express themselves without being judged by how they speak.
As part of the awareness campaign, the GSA encouraged people to reflect on their experiences, the lessons they had learnt and the steps they could take collectively to promote inclusion.
“What is your shade of stammering? What have you experienced? What have you learned? And what can we do together to create a more inclusive world for people who stammer?” the statement asked.
