The Socio-Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SEEPD) Program of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services has called for greater employment opportunities for young people with disabilities in Cameroon.
The call was made in a statement issued by SEEPD Project Manager Awa Jacques Chirac on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, to mark International Youth Day.
The 2026 International Youth Day theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” highlights the shared hopes and ambitions of young people despite differences in their circumstances.
SEEPD said young people with disabilities in Cameroon continued to face significant challenges in finding employment, even when they had the necessary education and qualifications.
According to the program, the main barriers were often discrimination, inaccessible workplaces, and institutional practices that limited opportunities for qualified persons with disabilities. SEEPD stressed that disability should not be viewed in isolation from a person's abilities and potential.
The program also pointed to Cameroon’s existing laws protecting the rights of persons with disabilities but noted that stronger implementation was needed to turn those legal protections into practical opportunities.
It cited the example of 23-year-old Fopa Kuete Duclaire, whose technology, InReach, was designed to help people in the deaf community access digital content in real time.
SEEPD called on government institutions to make employment programs, internships, and entrepreneurship initiatives more accessible to young people with disabilities.
The private sector was also urged to give qualified persons with disabilities a fair chance in recruitment and employment.
Civil society organizations, universities, organizations of persons with disabilities, and development partners were encouraged to expand skills training, entrepreneurship, digital inclusion, and access to decent work.
SEEPD said lasting change would require both stronger policies and a shift in public attitudes towards disability.
The program concluded with a message that young people with disabilities should have the same opportunities as other young people to pursue their ambitions and contribute to society.
“Our aspirations are indeed common. It is now time for our opportunities to be common too,” the statement said.
@Laarry Times
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