Labour market leaving people with disabilities behind

Despite policies requiring employers to prioritise hiring people with disabilities, they remain one of the least employed groups in Namibia.

The latest labour force report, based on the 2023 Population and Housing Census, shows that people with disabilities make up just 2.3% of Namibia’s 46.2% labour force.

This means that out of 546 805 employed Namibians, only 12 508 are people with disabilities.

Labour expert Herbert Jauch says many workplaces remain inaccessible, making it difficult for people with disabilities to find and keep jobs.

“Because they make up a small portion of the population [less than 10%], employers often don’t consider people with disabilities when hiring,” he says.

Jauch says inaccessibility is not just an issue at workplaces, but also at educational and training institutions.

“A few years ago, some students with disabilities at a local educational institution had to rely on their peers to carry them up and down stairs because lecture halls were not accessible,” he says.

Despite affirmative action efforts, Jauch believes little progress has been made in improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

“There has not been a big breakthrough. Many people with disabilities, especially young people, are still struggling with unemployment,” he says.

BRIDGING THE EMPLOYMENT GAP

National Disability Council of Namibia (NDCN) chief executive Angelique Philander says the council is actively working to address unemployment among people with disabilities.

“The NDCN, through the Legislative Review Project, has included the review of the National Policy on Disability and amendments to the National Disability Council Act 26 of 2004,” she says.

The council also holds workshops and regularly engages employers and employees to promote workplace inclusivity.

However, Philander says one of the biggest challenges is connecting employers with qualified candidates with disabilities, partly due to limited access to job information.

“Because of a high poverty rate among people with disabilities, many struggle to access job listings in newspapers or online,” she says.

To address this, the council has in the past set up support stations to help people with disabilities apply for mass recruitment opportunities, such as census jobs with the Namibia Statistics Agency and temporary election positions.

Philander says plans are underway to improve access to job information through a disability information management system, developed in partnership with the Office of the Prime Minister.

“This system will make information about potential employers more accessible to people with disabilities.”