In a significant development for the disability framework in Zimbabwe, key stakeholders convened at a Harare hotel on Wednesday to discuss the establishment of a national business disability network.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the country's National Disability Policy on June 9, 2021, in Harare.
The policy, developed with support from various stakeholders, including the United Nations, seeks to address the marginalisation and discrimination of persons with disabilities, empower them to improve their own quality of life, and enable them to contribute towards the national development agenda.
The primary objective of the national business disability network that was under discussion on Wednesday is to facilitate communication and collaboration among employers, employment agencies, and other stakeholders to create inclusive workplaces for persons with disabilities.
The initiative seeks to ensure that workplaces in the country are not only accessible but also inclusive of individuals with various impairments.
Sightsavers Zimbabwe is collaborating with implementing partners, including the Federation of Organizations of Disabled People in Zimbabwe, the National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped, and Deaf Women Included, to drive this project.
Samantha Nyathi, senior programs officer at Sightsavers, highlighted the significance of this initiative, especially in light of the recent gazetting of the Persons with Disabilities Bill.
She emphasised that the network is expected to complement the legal framework by ensuring that employers are well-equipped to engage with and accommodate persons with disabilities.
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"We want to create a national business disability network for Zimbabwe. This will be a platform for employers to engage and communicate with each other and learn from each other about how to build inclusive workplaces.
"We need to ensure that the workplaces that we have in the country accommodate persons with disabilities. The systems and the processes and even the actual physical buildings should be accessible to everyone. The whole idea is to create a world where persons with disabilities are able to work seamlessly," said Nyathi.
Nyathi also noted that the establishment of the national disability network aligns well with global efforts and will provide opportunities for cross-country learning and collaboration.
Nicholas Nicodimus, an economic empowerment project officer at Sightsavers highlighted that the organisation's approach involves equipping individuals with disabilities with various skills to enhance their confidence and readiness for employment.
Leonard Marange, the national director of the Federation of Organisations of Disabled People in Zimbabwe emphasised the importance of enacting the Disability Bill, which is expected to further strengthen the enforcement of the national disability policy.
He said the bill is seen as a crucial step towards enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities.
