TODAY we are looking at sheltered employment for the disabled, but let me start by appreciating all those who called  and visited our offices, as a centre, we value your suggestions as we continue to bring real issues affecting persons with disabilities around the world.
Sheltered employment will forever remain important in the provision of real and practical rehabilitation to disabled people and this is the reason why many countries around the world have Government run and managed sheltered employment centres for the disabled.
This week we feel it’s important that we look at the Zambian case more especially that Zambian Agency for persons with disabilities is undergoing self-restructuring which is very strange and we think it’s time that we guide when there is time to adjust.
The Patriotic Front (PF) Government has shown the world that it’s a disability friendly Government by increasing funding to the agency and amending the disability Act number 33 of 1996 and replacing it with Act number 6 of 2012 which has clearly shown the vision of this Government in terms of disability administration despite the fact that the Act needs amendment but for now we can work with it.
The  Act  provide  for functions of the Agency as to plan, promote and administer services for persons with disabilities; develop and implement measures to achieve equal opportunities for persons with disabilities by ensuring, to the maximum extent possible.Others are;
•that they obtain education and employment, participate fully in sporting, recreation and cultural activities and are afforded full access to community and social services provide and coordinate habilitation, rehabilitation, training and welfare services for persons with disabilities.
•That the agency shall operate schemes and projects for self employment or regular or sheltered employment for persons with disabilities which is a clear Government commitment to the world
• that Zambia shall continue with sheltered employment and any decision to restructure the agency and stop sheltered employment centres in Zambia is working against  the vision of  his Excellency the President Michael Chilufya Sata and Patriotic Front Government which must not be allowed but  what Government need to do is to promote sheltered employment at district level  and learn from other countries in the region.
The Zambian Government must learn from other countries how they are managing sheltered employment for the disabled more especially that sheltered employment through centres for the disabled are areas of hope and social integration for the disabled in which real rehabilitation takes place, so to think of stopping sheltered employment will be a grave mistake for the country.
Centres for the disabled world over to not exist to make profit and be self sustaining but are established as educational, training employment, rehabilitation and habilitation services centres which work in partnership with private sectors and institutions like workers compensation, National pension scheme and ministry of labour for supporting employment of people that become disabled and cannot continue in their current jobs or positions.
Today the world is promoting employment of disabled people though sheltered employment centres and private sectors refer workers who become disabled to centres and keep their employment through sheltered employment.
Instead of retiring such people on medical ground companies must work with the agency to ensure that such people are first rehabilitated to a level that they accept the newly acquired condition and socially integrate in disability friendly institutions which are called centres for the disabled.
Government provides real vocational skills through sheltered employment centres for the disabled, In Zambia we should not lightly conclude that it is the disabled people that are a problem.
Rather, the agency’s’ failure to facilitate real rehabilitation services, job placement strategies for private sectors and cheap disability politics  exhibited  by  the leadership of the agency  has resulted in clients stuck with  Government.
Throughout the world, paid work is a crucial aspect of culture and identity for the disabled people and not free grants which have not worked for over 22 years now, with many individuals with disabilities organizing their lives around employment.
Employment helps define an individual’s place in the community. The unemployed are often excluded from important activities and roles within the social groups which result in discriminating disabled people.
The expectation for people with disabilities in Zambia is  to work until death through centres for the disabled which Government can  revisit and repeal  the law to introduce social  security scheme to address such  expectations because people that  Agency retired  many years ago are still  clients of Zambia Agency for persons with disabilities which clearly  tells you that retirement is not the best for the disabled in  Zambia.
If sheltered employment is promoted, more people with disabilities will be employed through models that focus on abilities and choice, such as customized employment.
However, most individuals with disabilities worldwide still are employed in sheltered rather than competitive a setting which means sheltered employment is the best for now.
It is a fact that on the labour demand side, a common barrier to employment of disabled people is discrimination, prejudice, stereotypes and misconceptions of ability, which often make employers reluctant to hire individuals with disabilities.
Secondly, corporate culture, in terms of organisational practices and the attitudes of managers, supervisors, and co-workers, has reduced employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Thirdly, individuals with disabilities may require workplace accommodations; employers may be hesitant to hire individuals with disabilities due to mistaken fears of expensive accommodation and healthcare costs therefore sheltered employment Policy bridges the gap.
For me, Government need a national disability policy to address the issue of sheltered employment for persons with disabilities and this must not be that the Zambia Agency for persons with disabilities provides sheltered employment alone.
The agency role shall be to monitor the implementation of sheltered employment policy by other stakeholders as it also provides sheltered employment services. It is important to know that just as it is a right for those without disabilities to be in employment, it’s also a right to people with disabilities to be in employment for fair and equal wages, working hours and opportunities, and the cultural benefits of being employed.
To achieve this goal, individuals with disabilities undergoing sheltered employment rehabilitation vocational training need to be provided with placement jobs or supported employment for sustainable rehabilitation.
Since employing people with disabilities has a positive impact on employers, increases in customised and supported employment will not only help individuals with disabilities, but also benefit the workforce and society as a whole.
Unfortunately, throughout the world, individuals with disabilities remain employed at lower rates than people without disabilities. There is an urgent need to revamp all centres for the disabled in Zambia and create employment through promotion of sheltered employment run and managed by Government.
The author is Regional Disability policy Analyst for SADC and Inclusive Development Advisor for Centre for Disability Development Research, Law and Policy, Johannesburg. Project Office,   P.O. BOX 1981 New Castle, 2940 South Africa.
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