In Ethiopia, there are several exclusionary activities that affect individuals with disabilities.

If we take
hiring practices, these discriminatory practices unfortunately, prevent equal opportunities for
persons with disabilities to access employment and contribute to society. Less attention has been
devoted To the question of the effectiveness of the laws in improving employment opportunities for
Disabled persons. This question is central, not only in terms of the economic rights of disabled
People, but also to their broader social and political rights which are closely linked to Economic
empowerment. Concern has been expressed by organisations of and for people with disabilities
Some of the common exclusionary activities include:

1.Lack of accessibility: Many workplaces and public spaces in Ethiopia lack adequate
accommodations for individuals with disabilities, such as ramps, accessible restrooms, or appropriate
signage. This lack of accessibility hinders disabled individuals’ ability to access and navigate these
environments, making it challenging for them to secure employment.

2. Limited employment opportunities: Individuals with disabilities often face limited employment
opportunities due to discriminatory attitudes and assumptions about their abilities. Many employers
tend to overlook disabled applicants, assuming they are incapable of fulfilling the job requirements,
regardless of their qualifications or skills.

3. Negative stereotypes and biases: Negative stereotypes and biases against disabilities persist in
Ethiopian society and contribute to discrimination in hiring practices. These biases stem from
misconceptions about the abilities and contributions of individuals with disabilities, leading to their
exclusion from employment opportunities.

4. Inadequate policies and legislation: While Ethiopia has made progress in adopting policies and
legislation to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities, there are still gaps in enforcing these
measures effectively. The lack of strong implementation and enforcement mechanisms often allows
discrimination to persist unchecked.

5. Lack of Reasonable Accommodations: Employers often fail to provide reasonable accommodations

for employees with disabilities. This includes modifications or adjustments to the work environment,
job tasks, or work schedule that enable individuals with disabilities to perform their duties
effectively.

To address these exclusionary activities and promote inclusivity, it is crucial to implement anti-
discriminatory measures. Some key steps that can be taken include:

Strengthening legislation: Ensuring the existence of comprehensive disability rights legislation that
explicitly prohibits discrimination in hiring practices and promotes equal opportunities for individuals
with disabilities.

Education and awareness: Conducting awareness campaigns to challenge negative stereotypes and
biases, promoting a better understanding of disability, and highlighting the abilities and potential of
disabled individuals.

Accessibility improvements: Encouraging workplaces and public spaces to improve accessibility by

providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, those accommodations may
include the following
  Making the workplace more accessible according to the person’s needs, for example The
removal of physical barriers. Existing facilities can be adapted to make them Accessible e.g.
building a ramp to ensure wheelchair access and making toilets Accessible. Lifts must be
equipped with special numbering for blind persons.
 Access to information and technology is very important. This includes adapting Existing or
acquiring new equipment, e.g. computer hardware and software. Visually Impaired persons
may require voice input/output (Jaws) software or magnifying Software.
 If the job requires action to be taken in response to a signal or sign and the relevant Sense is
impaired, for example vision, the signal may be converted for another sense And a bell sound
may be used instead. Likewise, in the case of hearing impaired Persons, a bell sound can be
replaced with a signal light flasher.
 Re-organizing workstations to ensure that people with disabilities can work effectively And
efficiently for example adjusting work schedules, if necessary.
 Changing training and assessment materials and processes e.g. providing training Materials
on request in electronic format, Braille or on tape for people with visual disabilities.

Promoting inclusive employment practices: Encouraging employers to adopt inclusive hiring

practices, which involve actively seeking diverse candidates and providing necessary
accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform their job tasks effectively.

Monitoring and enforcement: Establishing mechanisms to monitor and enforce compliance with anti-
discrimination laws and policies, ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the opportunity to
seek recourse in case of discrimination.

Efforts to address these exclusionary activities require collaboration between the government,
private sector, civil society organizations, and disabled persons’ organizations. By actively working
towards inclusivity and equal opportunities, Ethiopia can help create a society where individuals with
disabilities can fully participate and thrive.