Would you employ a blind person?

Approximately 1% of the African population are blind, but how many of them have got jobs?

Statistics from recent research carried out in South Africa, revealed that disabled people are the least employed group in the country.

Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has launched an innovative joint project with the National Council for the Blind (SANCB) that will prepare blind people for the job market.

Africa has its success stories though. In the world of music, blind Malian couple Amadou and Mariam are regular award winners.

In Zimbabwe, Dean Du Plessis is well known as a broadcaster and cricket commentator. And he achieves this despite the fact that he is blind. But could there be more people like these, who make their mark in the work place?

What can be done to get blind people into work? What legislation is there available and what rights do they have to employment? Is it too expensive to employ blind people or is there just not enough faith in them?

This debate has now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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There are blind and partially sighted civil servants working in many countries across Africa. Chris Friend, Sight Savers International

Kenya and Tanzania have had, and Uganda still has a blind Member of Parliament. Ghana has a blind lawyer working in its Foreign Ministry, and a blind Lecturer working at a Teacher Training College. The Gambia also has a blind radio broadcaster. There are blind and partially sighted civil servants working in many countries across Africa. With the advent of affordable screen reader technology and computer training many more executive jobs are becoming possible for visually impaired men and women in Africa.
Chris Friend, Sight Savers International & World Blind Union's IDP, UK

Sierra Leone is benefiting from the various expertise of the blind who have had their education from the school for the blind. Those who had earlier graduated are gainfully employed in the civil service while a good number are teachers. As long as a blind person is provided with facilities they can be productive but if they are left alone without such support they turn into street beggars. Blind people are wonderful. We have very good musicians such as the Attillas and the Blind Musical flames.
Mustapha Braima, Sierra leone

The root problem is employment itself. Africa has a lot of jobless able bodied young people. In such an environment it becomes more difficult for the disabled compounded by the fact that very few employers have or can afford support structures for them.
Tendai Huchu, Zimbabwe

The government should nurture their talent and sensitise the public against stigmatising the blind Israel Ambe Ayongwa, Cameroon

It seems the only employment for the blind is to take to the streets with very young children to beg for money. Most of these people are very talented but the society just ignores them. The government should nurture their talent and sensitise the public against stigmatising the blind.
Israel Ambe Ayongwa, Bamenda, Cameroon

I don't think the issue is about governments enacting laws that will provide jobs for the blind. We need to consider the barriers that each one of us have to cross to transact. The blind needs translation into brails, while the sighted needs the translation of the brails. This exercise is cost intensive. The best any government can do for the blind is to create conditions that will enhance their livelihood.
E. Julu Swen, Monrovia, Liberia

If African governments invested in offering the same education levels for the blind and those who are not blind then we would not even be discussing this issue. Companies should be forced to comply with the disability laws like they are here in the UK. Only then can we begin to see more blind people being employed and employers providing them with a conducive environment to work effectively.
Rutendo, UK

The worst blindness is ignorance. I can't see the reason why a blind person with intellect, talent and skills would be denied the right to employment.
William Biliutut, London, UK

Yes, I would employ a blind person as long as he or she is well educated or trained in the field. If they're not employed, how are they going survive?
Mike Bonny, Portland, Me.

In Africa, employing individuals with disabilities is seen as an act of mercy Fr. Oliver Ochieze, America

I will begin with correcting some impressions here; those who have sight problems are not referred to as blind but visually impaired. Yes, I will definitely employ an individual living with visual impairment, because disability is not inability. In Africa, employing individuals with disabilities is seen as an act of mercy. This is wrong, since nobody chooses disability, and anybody can be disabled. African governments should emulate America and come up with some legislation that will protect those living with various disabilities.
Fr. Oliver Ochieze, America

Why not? Disability is not inability. In any case, visual impairment is not lack of a vision.
Wycliffe Akibaya, Kisumu, Kenya.

I work for six blind men from Liberia. They are a singing group called the African Gospel Acappella. They are trying to raise awareness about the disabled in Africa and are currently building a resource centre in Monrovia for the disabled. It is horrible to sit and listen to them talk how they were treated back home. When you are disabled in Africa, some people think you are stupid and are not worth anything. They were almost killed numerous times during the rebel war just because they were blind. The work in America by singing at schools, churches, art festivals and fundraising. They have their own apartments, computers, TVs and own a group van. I wish there were more opportunities for the blind in Africa.
Karalie Pehlke, Washington, USA

People who are mentally blind are the ones who are not to be employed, not those who are physically blind. Physical disabilities should not cloud the employment of one who is qualified. Most of the destructions in the world are carried out by people who have sight, and even causing blindness for the weaker ones.
Ne-suah B. Livingstone, Monrovia, Liberia

If David Blunkett could go so far in the UK government, it means Africa can also produce their own Blunketts.
Adigun Olosun, Nigerian in Germany

From medical terminology, being physically challenged is not being mentally challenged. There is just no co-relationship between the two.
Dr Ali Johnson Onoja, Abuja, Nigeria

The key is through awareness by promoting success stories of blind people to show their capabilities Sijuwade Salami, Canada

Using legislation to force companies employ blind people would lead to disastrous results. It's likely that reluctant companies would employ them into dead-end positions where they would not be able to prove themselves. The key is through awareness by promoting success stories of blind people to show their capabilities and dispel misconceptions that blind people are incapable of being self-sufficient at performing tasks.
Sijuwade Salami, Lagos, Nigerian in Canada

In Africa, we still need to do more to help disabled people to cope and compete in society. kudos to South Africa's finance minister Trevor Manuel for launching the initiative to help prepare the blind for the job market.
Ngum Ngafor, Manchester, UK

It depends entirely on what my needs are. I can employ blind musicians for my clubs and other activities if they are good and better than others.
Mal, USA

Blind People are equally intelligent and sometimes smarter than the open sighted people. In Africa, the physically disabled people are totally neglected and left to fend for themselves. In Ghana, the government has adopted a strategy to help the disabled people acquire skills that would help make life comfortable for them. Other African countries should do the same.
Nana Adjoa Ocran, Ghana

Across Africa, the blind are viewed as helpless people who deserve nothing but pity. Besides enforced legislation, Africans need to realise that the blind, given the right opportunities and support, are not only capable of living independent lives but can go on to attain high and influential positions in society.
Adewale Adebanjo, London, UK

The visually impaired see more than most of us who are sighted. Besenty Gomez, The Gambia

Not being sighted does not necessarily mean one cannot see. The visually impaired see more than most of us who are sighted. It's unfortunate that we refuse to give them a chance to prove themselves because we don't have faith in their abilities. I know of many differently abled and visually impaired people in The Gambia who, if given the opportunity, could do far better than most of us. Ability and performance depends on the mind, not on appearance.
Besenty Gomez, Kitty village, The Gambia

I will employ a blind person if only I am sure they can do the job I assign them or they are applying for.
James Chukwu, Nigeria

There are many jobs a blind person can do with formal education or talent. We should go beyond the stereotype job of a blind person as a telephone operator.
Robert, Kenyan in US

Sometimes, I don't blame employers because some of these blind people do not have the necessary skills to fit in the job market Haruna Alhassan, Ghana

It's an undeniable fact that in the developing world like most parts of Africa, blind people with disabilities are highly marginalised. The blind suffer most when it comes to employment. Here, we have the Ghana Association for the Blind but even with that, efforts to make life meaningful to the visually impaired have proved futile. The disability bill has been before parliament for a long time now. Sometimes, I don't blame employers because some of these blind people do not have the necessary skills to fit in the job market.
Haruna Alhassan, Ghana.

To get the blind people to work, the government must introduce a legislation which will guarantee the blind jobs in the civil service as an example for the private sector. Those who are visually impaired should prove people wrong that there is ability in disability by studying professional courses in school, which will guarantee them jobs.
Tunde Onibode, Nigeria

Yes, I would employ a blind person provided he or she is qualified for the job in question. All entrances to the office buildings, bathrooms, lighting systems and faucets would be redesigned to accommodate them. Also, instructions on how to get from one location to another would be posted on the wall using the brail system. Computers should be configured with brail or other appropriate software to enable the visually impaired to perform their tasks. Finally, governments should make it a criminal offence to discriminate against any blind person seeking employment.
Ganny O. Ogunshakin, US

I would gladly employ a blind person. Abilities are not limited to sights but the mind and the willpower. Look at America's Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles or Jamaican Frankie Paul, all successful musicians in their own right despite being visually impaired. In Kenya, Josephine Sinyo and the late Dr Oki Ooko Ombaka beat all odds to become successful members of parliament. Given a conducive environment and equal opportunity, blind persons could be as productive as the rest in society.
Mwaura Muthinja, canada/Kenya

Let governments in Africa enact laws that will give disabled people the right to employment. Tope Idowu, USA

The problem in Africa is lack of faith, ignorance and technology needed to give enough training to blind people. Let governments in Africa enact laws that will give disabled people the right to employment without being subjected to any form of discrimination.
Tope Idowu, USA

There is nothing fundamentally wrong in employing a blind person. However, the institutional system inherent in most countries in Africa does not provide them equal opportunities. Even if legislations are put in place, the framework is not there to ensure full implementation. How, for example, would one expect a parastatal or private company to employ a blind person when the amenities they need to work are not available?
Emeka Ekwosimba, Nigerian in Canada

As long as they are competent for the job, why won't you employ a blind person? Even though UK's former Secretary for Work and Pensions, David Blunkett, left office somewhat unceremoniously, he has remained a living example of a blind person who shouldered one of the biggest jobs in the world.
Andy Ateli, UK

It would be very unfair if anyone was to lose out on a job simply because they are blind. If the late Ray charles let his disability rule him, Rnb music would not be the same.
Eric Joseph, UK

The easiest way to get blind people into jobs is to make them employable. They should be taught the skills they need to work. No one wants to employ a liability. I have met quite a number of blind people who take very good care of themselves, and have contributed much to society. According to one of them, there is a great strength in disability.
Kingsley Ezenekwe, Nigeria

Blind people should have a right to a job opportunity like others and I will employ as long as they can do the job.
Nuur, Mogadishu, Somalia

We need to understand that blind people are still capable of development Daud Kaghambe, UK

Before we think about what needs to be done to get blind people into work, we need first to deal with misconceptions and negative attitudes. In our African societies, most people disregard blind people and consider them a burden. We need to understand that blind people are still capable of development. Blind people have got the right to employment just like other people. I do not believe if it is too expensive to employ blind person.
Daud Kaghambe, Coventry, UK

To be disabled in Africa is as good as being dead. Most countries do not have legislation protecting the disabled. If the government has failed in this, there is little the private sector can do.
Taiwo Olateju, London

As a journalist, when I got arrested, a blind man was the officer who interrogated me for almost three hours! Another prominent figure is one of the interpreters at the Gambian courts, who is also blind. The blind need support and encouragement.
Alagi Yorro Jallow, New York, USA/Gambia