VARIOUS stakeholders have pointed out that despite the existence of a law that addresses the rights of people with disabilities in employment; many employers still do not provide opportunities for them.
Tanzania Federation of Disabled People's Organisations (SHIVYAWATA) said this over the weekend in Dar es Salaam in a meeting with some media editors to enlighten them on the law of inclusive employment for the group.
Among the stakeholders who spoke was advocate Novath Rukwago who disclosed that the law on people with disabilities recognised them since the Arusha declaration, and was amended in 2010 providing opportunity for every employer to provide employment to people with disabilities.
"This law, sections 31-34, states that people with a disability with criterion to work have right to be employed and the employer must create a friendly environment for them to pursue their duties. It also authorises the Employment Commissioner to go anywhere and ask if there are any disabled people employed," he disclosed.
He said the challenge is that many employers do not have enough knowledge of the law and are emotionally afraid without knowing the reality thinking that it is costly to employ with disabilities.
Shivyawata board member who is also the Coordinator of the Tanzania Association of the Deaf (CHAVITA) Lupi Maswanya said there are students with disabilities who have graduated from various colleges are on the streets unemployed due to the situation caused by that habit of some employers.
And urged that agents dealing in searching for jobs for people could be of help to people with disabilities in their job search or field work without discriminating them as they are part of the community as well.
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Maswanya added that people with disabilities who are educated and have the qualifications and criteria for employment faced various challenges in their process of seeking employment especially when they appeared in interviews they disqualified due to their physical appearance.
On his part the General Secretary of the Tanzania Albinism Society, (TAS) Mussa Kabimba said there is a weak implementation of the employment law for people with disabilities as the law enforcers still failed to see the law is fulfilled.
Also he disclosed in the private sector the issue of employment of people with disabilities has not been addressed to a large extent compared to the public sector which however is a bit struggling to fulfill the law.
Hidaya Alawi, a representative of the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Tanzania (ASBAHT) said the challenge is that there is no law that required a person with a disability to be employed that is why many employers do not employ them.
