Saajhi Samajh 6.0 – Including Disability at the Workplace: From Aspiration to Action
Dec 6, 2021 10:00 AM
Tech Mahindra Foundation, the CSR arm of Tech Mahindra Limited, has been working for Youth with Disabilities for over 7 years now. Its employability program, titled SMART+ (Skills for Market Training for Youth with Disabilities), prepares young men and women with a diverse range of disabilities (visual impairment, hearing/speech impairment and locomotive disability) for workplaces. The program provides hands-on training and exposure to the rich curriculum and learning resources that help them develop life-skills and support them with jobs to become financially independent. The Foundation works towards ensuring that PWDs have an equal opportunity and the access to a better future. This program has impacted over 10,671 beneficiaries in 11 major cities of India, including Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Chandigarh and Vizag.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed on December 3 every year to promote the understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities.
Persons with disabilities (PWDs), according to the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.
The 2011 Census reported that there are 2.68 Crore Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in India. Close to 1.2 crore people are in the working-age group of 15-59 years, although 64% continue to be non-workers. This translates to almost a staggering 78 lakh people. Reports published by the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization suggest that these disability numbers are under-estimated. Instead, they suggest the population of PWDs in India to be 7 crore – making the employment scenario for the PWDs bleaker.
Given this situation, it is not surprising that PWDs are often seen as a liability for the family and society.
Why Inclusive Workplaces for Persons with Disabilities?
On the policy front, India has made some big strides in the disability inclusion sphere. The Disability Act, 1995 paved the way for social protection and inclusion of PWDs, while India’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) reinforced India’s efforts in this direction. In spite of the policies, there is a long way for both the private and public sectors to realize the paradigm shift to the world of social inclusion of the PWDs.
Even today, PWDs still do not experience equal access to education in mainstream schools or colleges or find suitable/desired job roles in workplaces. While policy directs every employer not to discriminate on the basis of disabilities, the world continues to harbour its ill-founded inhibitions and lack of confidence towards the work-related capabilities of PWDs. Such notions further percolate as a societal stigma among them. However, at the same time, there are many organizations that also feel that there is an advantage in hiring PWDs owing to their loyalty and the ability to be more focused at what they do; this also helps in increased retention rates. But overcoming the fear of social stigma and employers’ perception still remains a challenge.
The population of PWDs represent an untapped pool of skills that can only help the business grow, but due to the existing misconceptions, prejudices, physical and information barriers their connection with the outside world is deeply affected.
Saajhi Samajh – The Sixth Edition
The virtual discussion, titled ‘Saajhi Samajh’ (or Shared Understanding), is a quarterly conference by Tech Mahindra Foundation to address issues and topics ranging from employment to education that has a direct bearing on society including its own set of beneficiaries.
Continuing to advocate its tradition, philosophy and ethos, the sixth edition of Saajhi Samajh aims at bringing out affirmative action steps from employers and experts on how we can promote the idea of an inclusive workplace for PWDs. This edition of Saajhi Samajh is scheduled to be held on 6th December 2021. It will be conducted as a virtual panel discussion among some leading industry experts from the corporate as well as professionals from across the social sector, government and civil society.
