The National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, has pledged to increase employment of persons with disabilities in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Constitution of Kenya.
According to the latest report by the Public Service Commission, persons with disabilities accounted for 1.4 percent in the 2021/22 financial year. Despite being below the 5% constitutional threshold, this was an increase from 1.2% in the previous financial year.
During a session with the Senate, Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection Florence Bore articulated efforts the Government is deploying to ensure persons with disabilities have equal access to employment in both the public and private sectors.
She noted that ableism was a huge impediment to the realization of equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Bore also noted that the Government is at an advanced stage in finally establishing a national disability policy and reviewing the Persons with Disabilities Act 2003 to conform with the rights enshrined in the 2010 Constitution.
The Cabinet Secretary also called for Parliament to support the NCPWD through apportioning adequate budgetary resources which will go a long way in addressing a growing demand for disability services nationwide.
SOURCE: NCPWD