We have already made the argument
that the inclusion of persons with disabilities is to make sure that everybody
has the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life to the best
of their abilities and desires.
In essence, we are advocating
including people with disabilities in everyday activities and encouraging them
to have roles similar to their peers who do not have a disability. This
involves more than simply encouraging them; it means making sure that adequate
policies and practices are in effect in a community or organization, in line
with the aspirations of Goal No. 11 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development
Goals for 2030 – Sustainable Cities and Communities. Inclusion in the
Workplace:
Inclusion in the workplace should
lead to greater diversity, not just in terms of background and ability but also
in terms of a diversity of ideas and opinions, which in turn will lead to
greater dynamism within the organization. An inclusive workplace will enhance
its ability to approach its mandate in terms of targets with fresh and thinking
and flexibility; it will enable the organization to navigate current and emerging
trends, as well as maximize the opportunities of the 21st century marketplace
with a greater assurance of success.
But what does an inclusive
workplace look like – from the point of view of a person with disability? And what is the role of co-workers in
sustaining that inclusivity?
An inclusive workplace is a
working environment that values the individual and group differences within its
work force, and makes diverse employees feel valued, welcome, integrated and
included in the workforce instead of feeling isolated because of their
background or physical challenge.
This inclusivity begins with the
installation of disability-friendly structures in and around the office
premises such as staircases, elevators and escalators, as well as ergonomic
seats and writing tables, etc. Conveniences must also be within easy reach of
persons with disability, and easy to use.
In the wake of the recent signing
into law of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition)
Act 2019 by Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, the question remains as to
how many of our workplaces are equipped with disability-friendly facilities and
amenities? Sadly, the answer is that this requirement is still a novel idea, as
novel (in the minds of many in this society) as the notion that a person with a
disability is a person, period. The provision of these facilities and amenities
is not a favour or a sop to persons with disabilities, but a fundamental human
right. For the avoidance of doubt, the
Act generally reaffirms the equal status that persons with disabilities enjoy
with persons without disabilities under the laws of the land and proceeds to
create mandatory provisions for preserving that equality and ensuring that they
benefit from a level playing field as far as is possible. With the rights of
persons with disability being reinforced in this way, any form of
discrimination against them is strictly prohibited and attracts sanctions under
the Act.
Our NGO, Empathy-Driven Women
International Initiative (EDWIIN), Nigeria’s No. 1 advocates for the rights and
welfare of persons (especially women) with disabilities, and an that has
empowered many of them with life-changing tools with highly impactful
activities, has been at the forefront of the campaign for the domestication of
various international protocols and conventions on the rights of persons with
disabilities by the Nigerian authorities. Now that Nigeria has done the needful
in passing this important but overdue legislation, we dare say that the real
work of actualizing its aims has just begun. The work of enforcement to induce
compliance on the part of employers, co-workers, clients and others, and the
implementation of measures (such as education, public enlightenment and
sensitization) is one that should concern all stakeholders. On our part, we
stand ready and willing to partner with government (both at national and
sub-national levels).
We bring to the table of
inclusion our long-standing experience and expertise in communications
(especially in the provision of first-rate media content), education and
especially training of personnel (both able-bodied and the physically
challenged, as well as persons with mental and developmental challenges) on the
modalities and issues around inclusion. Co-workers of persons with disabilities
are a special target of our advocacy and training, as they have an important
role to play in giving PWDs a sense of belonging and a feeling of value and
worth.
We aim to help create a 21st
workplace that is reflective of every stratum of society, a space where every
person – whatever their background – is
given a fair chance to prove their intrinsic worth, to reach for their full
potential, and to contribute their quota to the goals of the organization, to
the community and to humanity in general. Our aim is a workplace free of
tokenism, patronizing attitudes, resentment or discrimination on the basis of
disability – a workplace where no one is (or made to feel) left out.
#inclusioniskey
#edwiincares
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