In Ethiopia, as elsewhere, companies, organizations and employers of all kinds are seeking to attract the most talented and reliable employees in order to become more competitive. Many employers are recognizing the benefits of hiring a diverse workforce, including qualified workers with disabilities.
However, companies are facing challenges in employing and retaining person with disability. They often confront complying with related laws, making their work place accessible and raising awareness among staff in order to create a disability inclusive work environment.
Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development ECDD director Mr. Bob Ransom said “In Ethiopia, there are educated people with disabilities. In our company they can make a real contribution and when human resource managers realize those disabilities they get people more loyal, show up on time, and much less turnover and this is really an asset for the companies.
Now companies are requesting us to refer more workers with disabilities for employment in the factories. Established in 2015 Ethiopian Business and Disability Network (EBDN) aims to help companies network among them and learn from good practices by hiring workers with disabilities to make the companies more competitive.
He added, EBDN is a member of global network of companies’. Major multinational companies that are committed to hire persons with disabilities and now this global network has included Ethiopia.
Africa Disability Forum executive director Berhanu Tefera said people with disability have to get the opportunity of education with full educational equipment that are useful for them to learn well and grasp knowledge. Even when universities, working areas and condominium buildings are not considering the disabled, government has to make sure those working and living conditions are well prepared.
“Additionally, most of the employees do not want to hire and our working rules that support disabilities are merely on the paper rather than practical. We must work on those things” he added.
Disabilities Affairs Directorate Director with Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs Asalfew Ahmedin said there is a rule that include disabled persons in work system, but the implementation has not gone far to solve the problem. “I cannot say the law is implemented properly. Engaging the disabled persons on the work system is not the sole responsibility of the government, but of different associations, private sector and civil society” he noted.
Asalfew further stressed that this problem behooves all members of the society. It happens every day due to different accidents. So we have established a directorate for disabilities affairs eight months ago.
Within these eight months the Ministry has created a connection with disability associations, civil society and private sectors also fulfilling some materials to do a lot. It has also prepared ten years strategic plan and within this strategic plan disability work opportunity is the one concern.
Michael Shiferaw, Oxfam in Ethiopia Human Resource Business Partner said like other international NGOs Oxfam have inclusive employment policy and we created this work opportunity for disable peoples, but the candidates are not willing to tell us clearly about their own type of disability, because they think we do not want to hire disable employees through time, when they start the job and when we create awareness they will see our attitude about disability or when they see our work environment they tell us about themselves, this kind of fear of prejudice comes from the environment that they live.
The Ethiopian Herald December21, 2019
BY BETHLEHEM ASFAW
