The rule on employing disabled persons is not being fully implemented, according to an association representing this group.
The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD)
stipulates that two per cent of total posts in government offices should
be reserved for the disabled.
The rule for private sector states that any establishment with a staff of more than 50 is encouraged to hire candidates with disability.
Talking to Muscat Daily, Barka al Bakry, vice president of Al Noor Association for the Blind said, “The rule is to reserve two per cent of jobs in public and private companies, but this is not met and unfortunately, the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) does not impose this law strictly. We (the associations) would have been happy if companies filled even one per cent of the posts with people with disabilities, but that is not happening.”
Confirming the two per cent rule, Mubarak Ali Alrahbi, head of the Minister's office in MoSD, said, “The rule makes such hiring mandatory for public sector establishments, and the private sector is encouraged to follow as well. Any private sector establishment with a staff of more than 50 is encouraged to hire people with disabilities.”
According to MoSD, there are currently 2,417 registered disabled jobseekers in the sultanate. The ministry has said that it is working to find out the total number of disabled in the country, the nature of their disabilities, their capabilities and how many of them are willing to work.
Alrahbi said, “Disability is still a taboo subject in the country. MoSD is carrying out a study to find out the number of disabled, their unemployment rate. Interviews are being conducted to see how many want to work.”
Of the total 2,543 people covered under MoSD's various schemes from 2006 to 2013, 627 people with disabilities were provided jobs with help from MoM.
Saif bin Mohammed bin Abdullah al Humaidi, head of the Committee for Removing Barriers for People with Disability and an administrative supervisor at the Oman Association for the Disabled, said, “Yes, the quota rule is being implemented. A large number of the disabled have been employed. We are still redefining disability in the context of jobs in order to determine the type of disabilities and apply at ministries accordingly.”
Public Authority of Manpower Register (PAMR) figures show that as of November 2013, there were 1,476 disabled employees in various sectors - 913 in the private sector, 519 in government office, 32 in the military and 12 on self/independent projects.
Barka added, “We have a large number of people
with disabilities and the job market needs to accommodate them as well.
The stress is only on Omanisation, which is not enough. Jobs for the
disabled should be advertised properly and specifically mention if they
are for the blind or those with other physical disabilities.”
BOX
GOVERNORATE JOBSEEKERS*
North Batinah 576
Dakhliyah 338
Muscat 283
South Batinah 258
Dhofar 224
South Sharqiyah 212
North Sharqiyah 202
Dhahirah 180
Musandam 66
Buraimi 65
Al Wusta 13
(Data from : MoSD)
- Registered jobseekers with disabilities
Source : Muscat Daily.com , 11th Feb 2014
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