GOVERNMENT is developing a disability policy as it pushes all economic sectors to reserve a quota of their employment opportunities for people with disabilities (PWDs).
Speaking at the International Day of Persons with Disabilities conference in Harare on Friday last week, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister July Moyo said the National Disability Policy stipulated that 15% of employees of every organisation, across all sectors must be persons with disabilities.
“The Public Service Commission is developing a disability policy which guides the commission in all matters concerning all forms of employment, including recruitment, hiring and employment, retention, career advancement and safety and health of persons with disabilities,” Moyo said.
Indicating that government would also eliminate educational barriers being faced by PWDs, the minister said: “Sustainable Development Goal 4 is on inclusive (sic) and equitable quality education and promotion of life-long learning opportunities for all — eliminating gender disparities in education and ensuring equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.
“The ministry, therefore, works collaboratively with all ministries responsible for education to achieve this goal. The 2020 Education Amendment Act (Chapter 25:04) directs special needs education which is designed to meet the needs of learners with disabilities and in section 16, 68B3 the Act directs that each school submits a plan of how it intends to advance the rights of learners with disabilities, thus seeking to ensure that such learners are not left behind.”
Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, developed a toolkit to identify and address stigma and discriminatory practices against people with disabilities in institutions.
The programme includes Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique and Namibia.
To help in the promotion of employment opportunities for PWDs, last year government embarked on an economic empowerment programme with Sight Savers (UK) to link technical and vocational education and training institution graduates with private sector employers.
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“Under this programme, persons with disabilities undergo training on career planning, writing a curriculum vitae, writing a cover letter, networking techniques, using social media professionally, generating a professional online profile and participation in the job interview process,” Moyo said.
He said government was also availing grants for PWDs through the National Building Society.
Warning public transport operators not to charge assistive devices used by people with disabilities, Moyo said: “The National Disability Policy directs public transport operators to ensure that persons with disabilities are not made to pay for their assistive devices such as wheelchairs, as the payment increases the cost of road travelfor persons with disabilities. In addition, refusal to ferry persons with disabilities within the public transport system is an offence.”
