Ethiopia marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

ADDIS ABABA (ILO News) – Ethiopia marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) with the 2014’s theme: “Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology” to increase awareness and understanding on disability issues and latest trends.

The House of Federation focused on the Ethiopia government's commitment to promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and their inclusion in the development in Ethiopia.

The event was highlighted through various shows including drama, poems, music and dance performed by members Disabled Persons' Organizations (DPOs) followed by a panel discussion on how best to mobilize support for concrete actions with and for persons with disabilities.

“Let us celebrate December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities by accessing technology for them to ensure sustainable development”, announced on his part the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in a widely disseminated text message all over the country.

The ILO contributed financially to the celebration of the IDPD. In Ethiopia, through an ILO-Irish Aid partnership Project, it is promoting rights and opportunities for people with disabilities in employment through legislation (PROPEL).

ILO/PROPEL worked with the Ethiopian Centre for Disability and Development (ECDD) in 2012 to help some 90 recent university graduates with disabilities in selected regions find employment. While CV writing, job hunting skills and confidence building formed an integral part of the intervention, the strategy also included the technological innovation of posting vacancies by government, and private and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on the ECDD’s website, and sharing them through a Google Group, personal e-mails and text messages. This enabled the ECDD to share job vacancies with persons who may have been unable to obtain information in accessible formats, in particular, if they had sensory or physical impairments. Of the group assisted by the project, 76 per cent were employed in government offices, private and public enterprises, institutions of higher learning, public schools and NGOs.

Over 1 billion people, or approximately 15 per cent of the world population, have some form of disability. For people with disabilities who are of working age, the rapid progress in information and communications technology (ICT) and assistive technology offer ever-increasing opportunities to participate in the world of work.