People with disabilities (PWD) are facing challenges when it comes to finding formal employment opportunities, leading many to seek alternative livelihoods in the informal sector, said Signs of Hope Trust (SHT) director Samantha Sibanda.
In an interview with this Bustop TV yesterday, Sibanda explained that inequalities in the formal employment space are forcing people with disabilities to look for jobs outside of the formal sectors.
“The employment landscape for people with disabilities (PWD) in Zimbabwe is fraught with challenges. This is primarily due to disability discrimination and a lack of knowledge on how to accommodate individuals with disabilities.
“As a result, PWD face significant barriers in the formal employment sector, forcing them to seek alternative livelihoods in the informal sector,” said Sibanda.
She also said for some individuals with disabilities who manage to secure formal sector jobs with equal pay, they often face additional expenses related to their disabilities and it strains their salary and makes it challenging for them to make ends meet.
“The lack of inclusivity in the formal employment space means that PWD often have to navigate additional expenses related to their disabilities, straining their salary and making it hard to make ends meet.
“So, I think there should be an implementation of a policy to have disability benefits, such as tax credits, grants, or subsidies, to offset additional expenses related to disabilities,” Sibanda said.
Sibanda also highlighted the plight of individuals with disabilities who are forced into the informal sector, particularly street vending, which lacks recognition in Zimbabwe.
“These individuals face numerous challenges, including constant harassment by law enforcement agencies, who target vendors, including those with disabilities, and chase them off the streets, leaving them with nowhere to turn.
“People with disabilities are already marginalized and excluded from many opportunities, and now they are being denied the chance to earn a living in the informal sector. It’s a vicious cycle of poverty and exclusion that needs to be addressed urgently,” she said.
Sibanda commended the government’s initiative, the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS), a program that aims to provide access to formal financial services for marginalized and vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities.
“We hope that some day this strategy will address the financial exclusion of individuals with disabilities and enable them to access loans from banks,” she said.
Furthermore, she urged the government to establish mechanisms that are responsive to the needs of people with disabilities, saying these mechanisms should go beyond charitable gestures and focus on social protection and economic empowerment.
“We recommend that the women’s bank and youth bank include individuals with disabilities in their loan programs. Additionally, we hope that a grant specifically for people with disabilities will be established to support those who wish to operate in the informal sector,” Sibanda stated.
“By including people with disabilities in loan programs and providing grants, the government can ensure that they have equal access to economic resources and support their entrepreneurial ambitions in the informal sector.”
