By Olasunkanmi Akoni
A Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, Project Enable Africa, with the support of ACT Foundation, is set to train and support 50 corporate organisations on Workplace Disability Inclusion; provide access to disability audit for 20 organisations; develop disability inclusion policies for 10 corporate organisations. The training workshop is scheduled for March 17, 2021.
Olusola Owonikoko, the Project Director of the organization which caters for the digital empowerment and rights of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), who disclosed this, stressed that in accordance with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, which pledges to leave no one behind, “there is a growing need to implement diversity and inclusion in the workplace in terms of work culture, policies, programs and processes towards a peaceful and prosperous society.
“The workplace disability inclusion program is the first of its kind in Nigeria, and it is targeted at ensuring the work environment is accommodating and conducive to persons with disabilities.
“The workshop is going to bring about a major shift in the corporate sector.” According to Owonikoko, disability inclusion is a critical and strategic part of any organization, considering the fast rate of change and technological advancement across the globe.
“Disability inclusion in the workplace entails more than recruiting people with disabilities. An inclusive workplace values all employees for their strengths. It offers employees with disabilities — whether visible or invisible — an equal opportunity to succeed, to learn, to be compensated fairly, and to advance. True inclusion is about embracing difference. We strongly believe that true inclusion is possible,” Owonikoko explained.
He further encouraged private sector organisations to maximize the opportunity by applying to participate in the free workshop. According to the Head of Communications for the NGO, Lanre Olagunju, “the workshop is a great and rare opportunity for both the private and the public sector. It will provide free technical support for organisations to become sensitive to the needs of PWDs who are mostly excluded.
“We forget that they are existing or potential employees, clients, customers, vendors or service providers, among others. “We are confident that the workshop will strengthen workplace culture, enhance the human resources and also increase compliance for workplace inclusion. This will strategically position organisations to align with global best practices in disability inclusion,” Olagunju stated.
Vanguard News Nigeria
