In Guyana, many persons living with disabilities continue to overcome the daily infrastructural obstacles in the workplace, where they spend at least eight hours a day, to ensure the smooth flow in carrying out their duties.
This was related by Leon Walcott, Chairman for the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities. Walcott, who spoke with Guyana Inc. on behalf of persons living with disabilities, like himself, pointed out that dealing with the physical hindrances is easy to overcome once one gets accustomed to it.
However, he pointed out that the real challenge that the disabled community faces is the attitudes of people, specifically from those in the workforce.
The Disability Act was signed into law in 2010 by former President of Guyana Bharrat Jagdeo with the aim of discouraging discrimination shown towards the disabled community, as well as creating equal opportunities and upholding human rights.
Despite its unanimous passage, Walcott said much more still needs to be done to ensure its enforcement, in order for persons with disabilities to reap the benefits of the provisions of the Act.
He said that disabled persons are simply those with different capabilities. According to the chapter eight of 2002 Population & Housing Census – Guyana National Report, which focuses on disability on health, the term “disability”, as it applies to humans, refers to any condition that impedes the completion of daily tasks, using traditional methods or physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individuals . As such, it should be borne in mind that disability is not something one has to be born with, as it can develop later in life as well.
The report also stated that within the framework of the definition, the number of citizens living with some form of disability in Guyana at that time was 48,419, about 6.4% of the total population.
Walcott, who’s an entrepreneur, pointed out that in other parts of the world persons of such standing are accepted and are making a living by doing the same jobs that persons without disabilities can do.
“As an entrepreneur, you face many challenges, your operation costs are higher because…people find it expensive to sympathize. I have to face the same merchants…to transact business. If I want to make purchases, I go with my scooter if possible, and even so I’d have to hire a taxi.
“If I did not have this disability, I could have loaded up a carton into a minibus and get to where I want”.
As such, he deems the Disability Act the foundation legislation for a better tomorrow for the disabled community, and therefore believes there is dire need for the enforcement of it so as to improve the attitude and thinking of members of society in Guyana.
“The legislation is one thing, but enforcement is another. I think the government’s heart is in the right place because the Act was fast tracked by President Jagdeo”.
The population census of 2002, deemed the last detailed census, noted that despite no job discriminations against disabled people in Guyana, they did not have the same opportunities to participate in the labour force. Of the 42,577 disabled persons (15 years and over), 22% (9,388) were in the labour force, that is, were economically active and were working or had the need for work.
He reiterated that regardless of not having infrastructure in place in the workforce, an attitudinal change is what is most needed; noting that it currently creates segregation in the workplace.
“Guyana doesn’t have the requisite infrastructure to cater for physically disabled persons in the workplace, but such obstacles can be overcome.”
Speaking from an anecdotal point of view, Walcott said the general perception of society is that most physically disabled persons are also mentally challenged. He explained that persons without disabilities most times believe that a physical disability goes hand in hand with a mental disability and thus, treat all categories of disabled persons the same, which should not be the case.
“You can overcome the lack of a ramp to get into certain places, you can overcome doorways and stairways that are not designed for persons with disabilities and the lack of a small elevator, but it’s difficult to overcome the attitude which says you have a physical disability, so you have a mental disability.”
The provisions in the Disability Act are guided by principles established in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and sets out certain steps that the government must take to make sure that the rights of people with disabilities are respected, protected and fulfilled.
Its aim is to prevent people from being discriminated against based on disability, and it sets out penalties for those who continue to do so.
Among other rights, the Disability Act caters for employment rights – meaning people with disabilities have a right to work without discrimination.
The provision for employment under the act ensures that employers provide equal opportunities for persons, regardless of any physical disability.
This speaks to every stage of recruitment – from advertising to duties. As such, employers must be equally open to people with disabilities as to those without.
Under the Act, persons living with disabilities, when employed, are also expected to be given equal terms, conditions and benefits. These include no discrimination in selection, pay or occupational health and safety features.
Failure to fulfill these requirements means employers will be committing a criminal offence, and may be convicted and fined.
Additionally, The Minister of Social Protection also has a role of providing appropriate programmes to help people with disabilities develop skills for work, as well as assist in finding employment.
The Ministry is also expected to maintain a register of persons with disabilities who possess professional skills, in order to promote job opportunities for people in its database.
According to the draft World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Disability Action Plan 2014–2021, there are more than 1000 million (one billion) people with disabilities worldwide, about 15 percent of the global population.
However, it was projected by a 2002 survey that by 2014, Guyana would have just over 50,000 persons of its population, disabled. At the time the 2002 survey was done, a number of situations were not taken into consideration and as such, it is calculated that approximately 200,000 persons are at present living with a disability in Guyana, as reported by the Government Information Agency.
The WHO has also highlighted that disability is universal, and everybody is likely to experience disability directly or indirectly, through a family member who has difficulties in functioning at some point in life, particularly when they grow older.
The WHO recognizes disability as a global public health issue, a human rights issue and a development priority.
The Disability Act of 2010 addresses equal rights to education, health, access to buildings and services, independent life and recreation.
