Employers and the business community in the public and private sector have been urged to accommodate people with disabilities, aimed at allowing them participate and contribute to the economic development and growth of the country.
Speaking during end of year meeting for people with disabilities organized group members, county National Council for People with Disabilities officer, Gabriella Ogum said many of the people abled differently had successfully ventured in businesses operating in the urban and rural areas and were able to enjoy financial independence.
Gabriella said the national and county government had an obligation to create an enabling environment for people with disabilities to access and participate in the tendering process.
He said some of them had the potential like any other person, but were unable to benefit from government programs due to the mode of communication used depending on the nature and severity of their disability.
The officer said the percentage of people with disabilities benefitting from the national and county government social protection programs in the county was very low.
She added that several of them were unable to access quality education, health care and food due to financial constraints.
She regretted that others were living in abject poverty as a result of misconstrued socio-cultural standings that disabilities were as result of a curse to the family and should be confined within their homes to avoid stigma among other myths.
Gabriella appealed to more partners in the sector to consolidate resources in support of community sensitization on the benefits of exposing people with disabilities in their midst to enable them to benefit from available life improvement programs initiated by the national, county government and other supporters.
The officer further said discrimination and neglect by family and relatives was the most undoing working against people with disabilities, adding that such trends subject them to a lot of agony due to the socio-cultural and economic barriers.
She pointed out that more often than not people with disabilities were left to fate, where most of them suffer disease burden and reduced life expectancy, adding that everybody living near a person with disability should take the responsibility of ensuring their human rights were not violated by anybody.
By Makaa Margaret
