By Bida Elly David
Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have undergone five days of in-depth training on self-employment and rights to inclusion in the public and private employment sectors.
South Sudan Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare organised the training with funding from A Light for the World and Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO).
The project aimed at equipping persons with disabilities with self-employment knowledge and mechanisms to use in order to claim employment opportunities.
Mr. Emmanuel Loruba, from the Ministry of Gender, said that persons with disabilities have the full right to participate in decision-making processes, employment within the private sector and organizations.
“Most of the time, people with disabilities are left behind in everything,” Loruba said.
Loruba stated that the Ministry of Gender, with partners had taken initiatives to promote the rights of persons with disabilities as in line with the United Nations Convention.
“This five-day training was set up to equip persons with disabilities so that they are able to develop knowledge and skills in service delivery,” Loruba added.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Gender has currently employed two persons with disabilities in various departments as a mechanism of checks and balances within the institution.
According to Loruba, the two employees within the ministry are doing well in terms of performance in their departments, noting that both are soon to undergo promotion as part of their performance appraisal.
Sofia Mohamed, the Country Director for Light for the World, said that people with disabilities need to be empowered to be change makers, particularly in an environment where their rights are neglected.
The training helps young people in varied disabilities to acquire knowledge on facilitation and communication skills so that they can work with different organizations.
Sofia said the training did not only give them knowledge but also empowered them to create jobs for themselves as well as get job opportunities with other organizations.
She revealed that about 32 people with disabilities have been employed by Light for the World organization with various skills in different areas.
Sofia said that the world has managed to introduce a sign dictionary for the deaf to boost communication.
She added that the community’s attitude towards people with disabilities remains one of the challenges facing them.
“This challenge needs to be changed even if it has been changed. For example, parents who have a child with a disability fail to send him or her to school because of fear of stigma and discrimination,” Sofia said.
She urged the community and the government to change their negative attitudes towards people with disabilities to transform South Sudan into a fair and just environment.
Edmund Yakani, for his part, has called on the world to continue advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, particularly in the constitution-making process.