What is your name and what do you do for a living?
“My Name Is Hisham Al-Din Garieab Allah. I Work As A Bookkeeper With The Ministry Of Health. I Am Also A Member Of A Trade Union For People With A Physical Disability In Al Qadarif, Sudan.”
You have a physical disability yourself. To what extent did that impact your search for employment?
“I am one of the very few people with a disability who has a job in the public or private sector. I will never forget the years when my job applications were unsuccessful, even though I had all the qualifications and skills required.”
Why were you treated differently?
“When I requested feedback, I always heard that my physical health was the reason that I was not eligible. That frustrated me enormously because I do not see myself as physically incapable of the work for which I was applying. My right to work is recognised by the law, which should also protect it.”
What would you like to change?
“I think the concept of physical health is being misused to prevent people like me from exercising our right to profit from work and employment. My work environment is inaccessible, and each day I struggle to come and go from the ministry in my wheelchair. This must change.”
How can other people help with that?
“I have the feeling that the majority of people here still equate physical disability with a disease. This must change in country that cries out for freedom, inclusion, and justice for all its citizens.”