MADISON, Wisconsin — Persons with disabilities (PWDs) constitute some of the most impoverished and disadvantaged populations in the world. The struggle to receive adequate education and employment opportunities due to lack of resources and societal discrimination hinders PWDs’ capacity to escape extreme poverty. In Jamaica, this global dynamic has been mirrored for years; however, the nation has made significant progress throughout the past decade with the Disability Act of 2014, alongside support from non-profit organizations.
Disability in Jamaica: A General Overview
Approximately 3.3% of Jamaicans are living with a disability. The majority of PWDs in Jamaica do not advance to secondary levels of education due to shortages of special education teachers and curriculums. This lack of specialized educational resources is particularly a problem in Jamaica’s more rural areas, which are home to more than half of all PWDs in the country.
Unfortunately, the low levels of educational attainment amongst PWDs in Jamaica perpetuate a vicious cycle of underemployment and poverty, with 84.7% of Jamaica’s population of PWDs being unemployed as of 2016.
Of these unemployed individuals, less than 1% report receiving unemployment payments from the Jamaican government to help them support themselves. In an attempt to mitigate these issues of low educational attainment and employment levels amongst its PWDs, in 2014 the government of Jamaica passed The Disabilities Act, which has had profoundly positive impacts on the lives of PWDs in Jamaica.
The Disability Act: 2014
The government of Jamaica declared the overarching purpose of The Disability Act as ensuring that PWDs are being treated “fairly and equally,” and that PWDs have access to institutions that promote “individual dignity, freedom of choice and independence.”
Since 2014 Jamaica’s leaders have been committed to transforming the landscape of education and employment accessibility for PWDs. The right to education and vocational training for PWDs is now protected, with laws stating that an educational or vocational training institution cannot deny enrollment to an individual due to a disability. The same legal framework applies to issues of employment, where an employer is unable to refuse or dismiss a candidate or employee on the basis of disability, and is also unable to offer a PWD alternative terms and conditions of employment or pay because of their disability.
Aside from anti-discrimination laws, The 2014 Disability Act also includes a section regarding “reasonable arrangements,” a newly required resource that is helping PWDs in Jamaica reach unprecedented levels of success in educational and workplace settings. Reasonable arrangements are “special adjustments or devices that may have to be used, made or included so that PWDs can fully participate in the advancement of society.”
Examples of “reasonable arrangements” include ramps and wide doorways, sign language interpreters and assistive technologies like alternative keyboards or screen readers. These newfound mandates for reasonable arrangements placed on educational institutions and employers have allowed opportunities for PWDs in Jamaica to flourish, providing them with a higher quality of systemic support to increase the enrollment of PWDs in secondary and higher education programs and the employment sector.
Along with The 2014 Disability Act, the government of Jamaica established the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities (JCPD), a government agency formed to promote the rights of PWDs through public advisory, research, advocacy, awareness and education. JCPD uses social media campaigns and partnerships to thoroughly engage with Jamaica’s broader population, such as the #IAmAble movement done with UNICEF in 2018.
Mustard Seed Communities and Its Impact on PWDs
Nonprofit organizations have also provided critical support in providing directly for Jamaica’s PWDs who are struggling with severe systemic poverty. Mustard Seed Communities, established right outside of Kingston, Jamaica in 1978, is a nonprofit organization that not only gives PWDs free lifelong care and housing, but also access to educational and vocational programs teaching skills that permit these individuals to live independent, or semi-independent lives.
These programs include a formal education curriculum as well as training in areas such as farming, construction and home economics that can lead directly to employment opportunities. Mustard Seed Communities has several facilities across Jamaica, including fully supervised facilities for children with disabilities as well as a neighborhood-style assisted living community for adults with disabilities who still need financial and medical support, but who wish to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle. As of 2023, Mustard Seed Communities helps more than 400 persons and children with disabilities and has expanded its services to Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
The Road Ahead
With the implementation of The Disability Act of 2014, Jamaica has exhibited commendable efforts and proactivity in improving the livelihoods of its PWDs. Through anti-discriminatory legislation and reasonable arrangements, educational and professional environments have been transformed into environments that are much more accommodating and empowering for Jamaica’s PWDs. Moreover, the unwavering dedication of nonprofit organizations such as Mustard Seed Communities continues to provide critical care to PWDs in need throughout Jamaica, alleviating extreme poverty amongst this vulnerable group. If trends from the past decade remain consistent, Jamaica is well on the path to fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of ability, can thrive.
– Reagan McDaniel
Photo: Flickr