Unemployment, Poverty,
Stigmatization, Negative Socio-Cultural Perception and Limited Access to Education
are some challenges facing Persons with Disability in Ghana
I wants to state and appeal to leaders in authority at the various
public/civil service and private entrepreneurs to abolish the discrimination
against people with disabilities. Disable people are estimated to comprise
8-10% of the total population in Ghana, and it is a major cause of poverty. Individuals
with disabilities are not only more likely to be poor, but they are subject to
prejudice, social isolation and discrimination.
Formal education for most people with disabilities, in Ghana, is a hard
nut to crack mainly because most of them are intimidated by their disability.
Some families unfortunately also discriminate against members with disability.
Thus they would rather finance the education of a child without disability than
one with a disability
However, the majority of PWDs live in abject poverty, because
the state has not done much to improve their wellbeing, as they lack
opportunities in education and employment among others
It is further recommended that organizations make audit of both the physical
and social working environment to identify the actual barriers to employing
persons with disabilities. Employment challenges faced by people with
disabilities in Ghana are so many which needs to be look at critically. We
should examined real life issues by employment challenges facing people with
disability on one hand and employers and policy makers on the other.
Employment policies on persons with disability were also found to have
very minimal impact in terms of improving the employment rate of persons with
disability. Appropriate structures be put in place to aid adequate disclosure
of information by prospective employees about their impairments to enable
organizations put in place the right supportive facilities. Organizations
should also adopt proactive and planned approach towards the employment of
persons with disabilities.
People with disabilities are grossly under-represented mostly because
some employees with disabilities fail to disclose their impairment. It was also
revealed that major barriers that were encountered by both respondents with
disabilities and employers were mainly of physical and social nature.
Coming on to the job market with poor education and limited skills,
people with disability have difficulties competing. Physical or intellectual
impairments may limit their job options. For most, social prejudice makes
employers unwilling to hire them. Rates of unemployment among the general adult
disabled population vary from country to country but on average, tend to be at
40-60% higher than for the general non disabled population.
This affects the job opportunities of these unfortunate ones since the
current employment situation in Ghana is one of very strong competition even
for people with formal education. The majority of the population is at higher
risk for unemployment, partial employment or full employment at lower wages and
people with disabilities are at even greater risk. The employment rate of
persons with disability tends to be considerably lower than that of
non-disabled people in Ghana.
This is true even in developed countries with well-organized skills training
programs to help in the transition from school to work. Moreover, even when
they enter the work place, people with disabilities often find little room for
error. If they do not succeed in an apprenticeship or are fired from their
first job, they are labelled unemployable. The female situation is even more
difficult, unemployment among disabled young women is higher than unemployment
among comparably educated disabled young men. Even when they have received a
good education, they take a longer time to find a position, have less job
security and less prospect of advancement with that job.
Several conventions have been established by many international
organizations and countries as well, to protect the rights of the disabled. The
‘disability Act of Ghana 715’ states that a person shall not discriminate
against a prospective employee on an employee on the grounds of disability
unless disability is in respect of the relevant employment’ It further states
in paragraph 89 that ‘The ministry though the public employment centres, shall
assist to secure jobs for persons with disability.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) also stated that disabled
workers, “whatever the origin of their disability, should be provided with full
opportunities for rehabilitation, specialized vocational guidance, training and
retraining, and employment for useful work”. It emphasized the “complete
equality of opportunity” for men and women.
In spite of all these conventions and laws people with disability continue to
battle with the situation on the job market and with employers to fully access
and protect their rights with respect to equal job and promotional
opportunities. Despite the vast numbers involved, little is known about
disabled populations. Nevertheless, it must be noted that the development
community is changing in this regard and that empirical studies – including
many in developing countries – are being launched aimed at providing evidence
about the nature, causes and potential interventions regarding disabilities.
Families of people with childhood disability must be encouraged to educate
their children to the highest they can go.
This would improve their chances of gaining good employment. It also eases the
family and society of the over burdened dependency of unemployed people with
impairment and organizations should adopt a proactive and planned approach to
the employment of people with disabilities. The employment procedures for
dealing with applicants with disabilities need protocol.
Disabled persons as a consequence of their disability have reduced
capability of activity that causes many difficulties to life, work and studies.
The impact of disability on life activities may be different and depends upon
the specific context such as the environment-urban or rural and type of
country- either developed or less developed and cultural/societal norms as they
relate to people with disabilities.
Organizations should make thorough investigation of both their physical and
social working environment to identify the actual barriers to employing people
with disability. In terms of investigating the physical environment,
organizations can either choose to do the investigation internally or make use
of external consultants through workplace assessments.
There is the need for national awareness campaigns to sensitize employers to
employ persons with disability and also encourage disable persons to disclose
their disability for the right support to be giving to them.
Should you face all these because you’re disabled?
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