Sundaymail Editor
Disability Issues
Dr Christine Peta
YESTERDAY, Zimbabwe joined the global community in commemorating International Women’s Day, which ran under the theme “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”.
This article focuses on the economic empowerment of women with disabilities, emphasising their right to participate in the labour market.
Women with disabilities face numerous barriers to employment, including discrimination, inaccessible physical environments and information, inadequate communication formats (such as the lack of sign language for deaf women) and insufficient support systems.
Consequently, their employment rates and pay are often lower than those of non-disabled women.
Furthermore, society frequently perceives women with disabilities as incapable of fulfilling traditional gender roles, such as being homemakers, wives and mothers.
They are often viewed as passive and dependent, expected to rely on charity.
It is common for women’s work to be considered secondary to that of men, who are traditionally seen as the primary decision-makers and income earners.
Some family budgets exclude the education of women and girls with disabilities.
This is done based on the misguided belief that investing in the education of men and boys is more beneficial, as they are assumed to be better equipped for high-value employment, which is wrongly deemed beyond the capabilities of women with disabilities.
Despite the advancements brought by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasise the principle of “leaving no one behind”, significant challenges persist for women with disabilities.
While global literacy rates for women are rising and more women are entering the labour market, women with disabilities continue to be disproportionately viewed as a burden on families, society and the State.
For instance, the Donald Trump administration has consistently questioned the place of persons with disabilities in the workplace, reflecting persistent stigma and misconceptions about their right to employment.
However, Zimbabwe’s National Disability Policy (2021) explicitly recognises the rights of persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities, to education, skills training, employment and income-generating projects.
Workplaces can implement several strategies to effectively support women with disabilities.
They include the following:
Accessibility — Ensure physical accessibility through ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms and adjustable workstations
Reasonable accommodation — Provide assistive technologies, modified work schedules and job restructuring
Inclusive policies — Implement inclusive hiring and promotion practices and offer diversity and inclusion training to all employees
Awareness and training — Conduct awareness programmes to educate employees on disabilities and promote a culture of respect and understanding
Support systems — Establish employee resource groups or mentorship programmes to provide support and networking opportunities
Flexible work options — Offer flexible work arrangements like telecommuting or flexible hours to accommodate individual needs
Communication — Maintain open communication channels to understand and address specific needs and concerns
Assistive technology — Provide access to assistive technologies and software to aid in effective job performance
Training and development — Offer training and development opportunities for skill enhancement and career advancement
Confidentiality — Respect the privacy of medical information
As we continue to implement the National Disability Policy of Zimbabwe, it is crucial for all sectors to support women with disabilities in the workplace and help in establishing sustainable livelihood projects.
Women with disabilities, your time to thrive is now.
Dr Christine Peta is a disability, public health, policy, international development and research expert. She can be contacted on: [email protected]
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