Persons with disabilities facing continued barriers in the job market

The challenges faced by persons with disabilities seeking employment persist in the country thereby frustrating young people with disabilities who work hard to finish their education.

While the government is obligated by legislation to recognize the rights of persons with disabilities to work and employment, persons with disabilities are facing hurdles in the job market based on their disabilities.

Federation of Disability Organizations (FEDOMA) executive director Simon Munde says discrimination remains a formidable barrier to securing meaningful job opportunities.

“This is an issue that has been a problem for quite some time. We are not doing well basically in terms of employment of people with disabilities and this has frustrated some of the young people with disabilities in terms of their performance in school.

“What we see is that, a good number of persons with disabilities will finish their education but after working hard they will still not get employed. If it is employment, it is not their area of expertise,” lamented Munde.

The Disability Act of 2014 and the Persons with Disability Act of 2024 state that persons with disabilities have the right to gain a living through work that is freely chosen or accepted in a labour market, and a working environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to them.

Additionally, the legislation obligates the government to ensure the realization of this right by prohibiting discrimination based on disability in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, restructuring, career advancements, and working conditions.

Despite these provisions however, the disparity in employment opportunities is stark, with many individuals with disabilities finding themselves without suitable employment despite their academic achievements.

In response to these challenges, Munde is advocating for the implementation of legislative provisions mandating a quota for hiring persons with disabilities.

“Basically, in other countries what they have done is come up with a legislative provision that provides for a quota of every employer to be hiring persons with disabilities. It has worked in Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa, and what we see is that people with disabilities are living self-reliant lives. We can do the same,” Munde said.

Beyond advocacy, tangible efforts are underway to address this issue. FEDOMA in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), is implementing transformational programs aimed at promoting inclusion of persons with disabilities in various sectors.