The Impact of Unemployment on Women with Physical Disabilities in Tamale, Ghana

Abstract

Unemployment rates among persons with disabilities are high, with women being at greater risk due to the interaction of gender and disability. Although studies portray the inequality, oppression, and exclusion women with disabilities encounter, little research is available on the impact of unemployment on women with physical disabilities. This qualitative study explores the daily experiences of unemployed women with physical disabilities in Tamale, Ghana. Phenomenology and focus group research approaches guided this study, since so little is known about how unemployment impacts the lives of women with physical disabilities. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit 10 women with physical disabilities for in-depth interviews. Purposive sampling was also used to recruit 14 representatives from the government and civil society organizations for two multiorganizational focus groups. Study findings are classified under two broad findings: poverty and inadequate social participation. Poverty stems from inadequate income due to unemployment and disability. Poverty impacts on the family and social relations of unemployed women with physical disabilities, their mobility, and recreational activities. Poverty also affects their ability to provide for basic necessities of life, and in the absence of welfare programs to lessen the effects of poverty, the majority are compelled to engage in begging and other menial jobs for survival. Inadequate social participation, on the other hand, results from the unemployment of women with physical disabilities and their nonparticipation in social support groups, as they cannot afford to pay approved membership dues and transport fare to and from meetings. Inadequate social participation has a bearing on the information unemployed women with physical disabilities receive, which further excludes them from mainstream society. Policy recommendations include awareness creation about the capabilities of women with physical disabilities; effective collaboration with other stakeholders to facilitate the advancement of women with physical disabilities; educating employers about tax benefits for employing persons with disabilities in general; training women with physical disabilities for new and challenging employment opportunities such as managerial roles; and affirmative action policies to ensure the education and employment of women with disabilities in general, as well as microfinance for their small scale