Can Persons with Disabilities Access Safe Working Space? A Message to Employers

In the current world and market trend, access to employment is extremely cumbersome as a result of stereotypes and misconception of what people with disabilities can't do. This has led introduction of quotas (affirmative actions) in different laws (like article 27 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) to enable qualified persons with disabilities to get employed.

Advocacy, lobbying and awareness has enabled qualified persons with disabilities to qualify for job markets, for the few people with disabilities who are employed, access to safe work place remains an issue that works against inclusion and embracing of diversity.

As a person with disability some of the things that might prevent you to being included at work place includes:
a) Battling negative employers attitudes, for instance employers making it seem like an employee with disability wasn't qualified for that job.
b) Secondly having to disclose your personal or medical condition to all employees in order to get reasonable accommodation or adjustment hence limiting your privacy.
c) Being a victim of psychological abuse for instance being yelled at in the presence of your colleagues, or a reprimanding message being copied to all your colleagues, your duties and responsibilities being delegated without your consent and the employer only reacting to mistakes and not success.
d) Having to request what is obvious like making environment accessible.
e) Your voice being diminished and your professional ideas not being welcome.
f) Being left out during crucial functions for instance finding yourself to be the only persons with disability left in the office while all your colleagues are out to launch a product or to celebrate an international day that relates to your work.
g) Being underestimated; for instance being allocated minor roles that are not on your job description.

Such factors do not only hinder inclusion but they enhance stigma against persons with disabilities; (and this is considered be discrimination on basis of disability).

Even worse, such toxic working conditions might lead to persons with disabilities acquiring multiple disabilities that are secondary to what they already have. Such can include depression, anxiety, self hate etc.

My message to the employers and all leaders is that employment for persons with disabilities goes beyond fulfilling the quotas and the public relations of showing how many people with disabilities you've employed but making the environment safe enough for them to contribute towards their growth and the growth of your organisation. Inherent dignity of persons with disabilities shouldn't be diminished at work place.

Cheers!!!

DEMYSTIFYING CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is the most comprehensive law that focusses directly on the rights of person with disabilities. However, it can be quite complex for a lay person to understand its content due to many articles and legal jargons that it contains.

Article three of the convention provides general principles, in my opinion this is the 'heart' of the convention and it  helps us to demystify it. All the 49 articles are linked to this article. Knowing it can help persons with disabilities and different stakeholders in the society to claim rights and to work towards a barrier free society for people with disabilities.

What is the content of article three of UNCRPD?

1. Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one's own choices, and independence of person,
2. Non-discrimination,
3. Full and effective participation and inclusion in society.
4.  Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity,
5.  Equality of opportunity,
6. Accessibility,
7. Equality between men and women,
8. Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities.  

Have a great day as you continue working towards a better society!

WHAT IS REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION?

Accessing services, work,  buildings and other social amenities are among huge challenges that affect  people with disabilities and prevent them from being productive in their communities. This can be solved by reasonable accommodation:

What is reasonable accommodation? 

• Reasonable accommodation is necessary adjustment and or modifications to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy and exercise their rights on equal basis with others. 

• Reasonable accommodation can be achieved through request.

Most countries have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) that makes it legal for service providers and communities to provide reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities.
There is a misconception that reasonable accommodation has to do with accessing work place. it however goes beyond working environment. It should be holistic.

Example of reasonable accommodation includes:

1. Provision of extra time and and extra learning materials to people with intellectual disabilities.
2. Building of temporary and or permanent ramps in buildings to allow people with physical disabilities to access buildings.
3. Provision Brailled documents and or voting cards to people with visual disabilities during electrol process.
4. Communities and service providers availing sign language interpreters for people with hearing disabilities.
5. Communities and service providers can also provide tactile interpreters to people who are deafblind.

To all people with disabilities remember to ask.

Cheers!

Why Folic Acid?

The world is moving first in acknowledging the importance of health, this is evident through development agendas like goal three of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Legal framework like article 25 of  the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

However, little in known about folic acid and its importance.

What is folic acid? Folic acid or folate is a section of vitamin B. Folic acid has a lot of health benefits, among them being prevention of neural tube defects to unborn babies like spina bifida (defect of the spina) and anencephaly (lack of parts of the brain).


8th to 14th of  January 2018 is world follic acid awareness week. This campaign is spear headed by the International Federation for Spina bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF). Remember to read the link for more information, eat healthy, take follic acid, share widely to protect lives of unborn babies and to stay healthy.

Cheers!

How to be a Self Advocate

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your voice is not heard, wings have been stepped on or your rights violated? That's what it takes to be a self advocate?

Such situations happen to everyone, whether you have a disability or not. however, people with disabilities tend to experience this on a regular basis.


There are important steps that will assist you in being who you are supposed to be or achieving what you want:

• Believing in your self; this includes knowing your worth and acknowledging that your disability is part of worlds diversity.
• Knowing your rights, benefits and responsibilities; knowing local, national and international laws that protect, promote and fulfill your rights like the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
• Discussing your questions and concerns
• Put your concerns in writing
• Get information and decision in writing
• If that doesn't work use chain of command
• Follow up

PS: The above picture was taken during a self advocates workshop for youth with spina bifida and hydrocephalus in Kijabe Kenya.

Happy new year to you all!