Only 1.4% of public service employees are PWDs - report

Less than one per cent of the institutions in Kenya have been able to meet the legal requirement of employing at least five per cent of persons with disabilities.

The latest report shows only 1.4 per cent of public service employees are persons with disabilities, revealing a significant gap between the current employment status of individuals with disabilities and the legal requirement of five per cent.

The latest report by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities shows individuals with disabilities are predominantly employed in lower and middle-level positions.

The ‘Disability mainstreaming status report for Financial Year 2021/2022’ however shows some institutions allowed their staff to attend sign language courses, therefore, removing communication barriers for the Deaf.

“However institutions still have a long way from fully becoming inclusive,” the report shows.

In Kenya, persons with disabilities account for 2.2 per cent (0.918 million) of the general population according to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census.

The disability mainstreaming indicator was introduced into the Performance Contract of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in 2009.

The aim was to accelerate the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the government’s business, workforce, programmes and policies.

The Council evaluated 404 institutions in Kenya to determine their compliance with the Disability Mainstreaming Indicator under the performance contracting framework during the 2021/2022 financial year.

The report highlights progress made in critical areas that contribute to the inclusion of persons with disabilities such as access to buildings and built environments, digital services, information and communication, participation, and employment while also identifying challenges and opportunities for further action.

“Access to public services is a right of every citizen and guaranteed by the Constitution,” the report shows.

“However, persons with disabilities routinely experience challenges in accessing public services due to various environmental, attitudinal and institutional barriers,” it adds.

Out of the 404 institutions evaluated, 181 were able to conduct training and sensitisation for both their Disability Mainstreaming Committees (DMCs) and staff.

Fifty-two trained and sensitised their DMC members only while 171 did not provide evidence of training and sensitisation as provided for in the 18th performance contracting cycle guidelines.

During the period under review, 252 out of the 404 institutions were registered on the NCPWD Career Portal.