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Some of the employees with numerous forms of disabilities attending the
two -day Consultative General Meeting for Employees with Disabilities in Dodoma region. |
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Some of the employees with numerous forms of disabilities attending the
two -day Consultative General Meeting for Employees with Disabilities in Dodoma region. |
By Valentine Oforo, Dodoma
MORE than 200 workers with physical disabilities from different public and private entities are convening in Dodoma City to review and improve proposed constitution draft for the registration of the Tanzania Trade Union of Workers with Disabilities (TATUWOD).
The envisaged trade union, set for establishment for the maiden time in Tanzania focuses to advocating for the statutory rights of the said handicapped Tanzanians, expecially at work places.
Hosted by the Ikupa Trust Fund (ITF), under cooperation from the Foundation for Civil Society ( FCS) and the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) Plc, the two -day consultative general meeting for employees with disabilities has been tailored to provided a key podium for the involved members to discuss and develop positive inputs for the improvement of the said proposed constitution draft, and its regulations.
Other key stakeholders behind the timely meeting include Christian Blind Mission (CBM), KCB and CRDB Bank Plc.
In his opening remarks, the event's chief guest, the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women, and Special Groups, Amon Mpanju challenged the members to use the platform to share useful ideas and experiences in order to come out with the best constitution which will help to free them from all changes they're encountering.
"This forum is yours, so be free to express your experience and observations to help develop the active constitution and its regulations with an eye to improve your wellbeing at working places, " he urged the members.
Moreover, he said the meeting, as well as the general quest for the establishment of the trade union was in line with the country's set laws towards the employees with disabilities, added that the aspiration was also adhering to international laws.
"The government is proud for the patriotic manner to which your working to ensure for your statutory rights and welfare,"
"I am here also to assure you that your government will continue working to set and implementing a series of strategies meant to see you living good and treated respectful at working places, and within your respective communities," he assured them.
For his part, the NMB Chief Hman Resource Officer, Emmanuel Akonaay, said the bank feels proud to be part of the move.
"NMB have been, and will further continue to support the concerted efforts to help the people with disabilities in Tanzania to escape from the all shackles of discriminations at working areas," he said.
He added, the bank has employed a number of workers with disabilities and that it was treating them with a 'soft-gloved-hands', equally to others.
Special Seat MP, Stella Ikupa, for her part appreciated the numerous supports being rolled out by the stakeholders to back up the different initiatives for supporting the disabled communities in the country.
"We, Ikupa Trust Fund per se, cannot stand alone to push for the welfare and development of the disables in the country, this area calls for collective inteventions," she appreciated.
Among the key aspects that was highlighted and discussed by the members during the forum include the proposed trade union title, objectives, membership registration and responsibilities.
Others were the needed protocols in establishment of the union's office of Secretary General, roles of Secretary General, as well as selection of the union's board members, among others.
Peter Charles, the Technical Director for the people with disabilities told this publication on the sideline of the gathering that the development was a result of the likeminded meeting held last year, which among others laid a foundation stone for the establishment of the vital trade union.
"During last year the physical challenged employees from different regions and institutions teamed up to mull over how best to initiate their tailor-made trade union for voicing for their rights at working places,"
"As a positive result, the meeting picked a steering committee to oversee and coordinating needed protocols for the establishment and registration of the much- needed trade union," he expressed.
The selected committee, he unveiled, has successfully managed to compile a 100 paged constitution proposal draft, as well as the prospectus union regulations, the crucial two drafts that are now receiving final eyes from the members in readiness of official approval by the relevant authorities.
"The general quest is to ensure the workers with disabilities are treated equally at their working places, whereby there must be presence of friendly infrastructures to cater for the physical requirements of people with disabilities at working places," he briefed.
He observed that the government in cooperation with the development partners and others stakeholders in the private sector have so far worked to improve policies and livelihoods of the physical handicaped employees, but much must be put in place to erode the remaining setbacks.
Should the eagerly-awaited registration greenlighted, he sounded to have remaining optimistic that the foreseen Tanzania Trade Union of Workers with Disabilities will play a significant role to help contain the long- standing challenges and numerous plights haunting the group.
The two-day forum attracts the disabled workers from different institutes, including the Tanzania Railway Company (TRC), NMB Bank Plc, National Water Fund, the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco), Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), the Office of the Chief Chemistry, Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA), the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) , to mention but a few.
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