Future of Livelihoods
Advancing Disability Inclusive Ecosystem Through Technology and Collaboration
March 5th, 2024 | Ambassador, New Delhi
An estimated 2.68 Crore Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) reside in India! Despite the existence of policies designed to protect and promote the rights of PwDs, a large majority face challenges in accessing infrastructure, such as buildings, technology, and information, that are necessary to seek and keep employment. Lack of awareness, and attitudinal, cultural, and accessibility barriers continue to keep a huge talent pool of PwDs from seeking employment or maintaining thriving careers. These barriers limit the ability of PwDs to explore their full potential, perpetuating discrimination and inequality.
India’s journey towards becoming a formidable five trillion-dollar economy is underscored by its commitment to fostering inclusive growth across all segments of society. With an aim to double the number of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) engaged in formal sector employment and strengthening the entrepreneurial landscape, the American India Foundation (AIF) unveiled DI-verse; a groundbreaking initiative at its annual flagship event – Future of Livelihoods
Working to empower India’s differently-abled, AIF’s flagship Livelihoods Program – Ability Based Livelihood Empowerment (ABLE) helps create an ecosystem for the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities as an active workforce in the job market, thus promoting inclusive growth in India. Furthering their participation in India’s growth story, ABLE drives systemic change crucial for their meaningful transformation and implements solutions and strategies to create inclusive workplaces.
DI-verse is dedicated to transforming workplaces into inclusive environments committed to the social and financial advancement of PwDs. Following strategic disability-inclusive hackathons, which brought together 29 dedicated champions – persons with disabilities, corporate DEI leaders, and accessibility experts – a comprehensive blueprint for accountability measures for inclusive workplaces was developed, mindful of all 21 disabilities under the 2016 RPwD Act. Building upon this foundation, AIF through DI-verse aims to acknowledge and celebrate corporations who actively promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities – not only skill-based positions but also high-paying leadership job roles.
“With lakhs of PwDs seeking opportunities within India Inc., the DI-verse platform looks very promising. It converges with the government’s economic vision to have more inclusive employment strategies, which can help harness the untapped potential of PwDs to propel India’s growth story forward. Linked to Divyangjan Rojgar Setu PM Daksh Portal, AIF will be able to serve 10 million PwDs across India to bridge the yawning gap between the demand and supply of their employment opportunities.” Shri Rajesh Agarwal (IAS), Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice, and Empowerment,
Future of Livelihoods brought together eminent DEI experts, thought leaders, and govt officials such as Shri Sunil Kumar Mahto, Deputy Secretary, DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GOI; Sushmita Jain, Global Disability Inclusion Lead, Wipro; Muskan Jain, Assistant Vice President, Global CSR Lead, EXL; Faisal Ashraf Nomani, Lead, Talent Acquisition, Randstad India; Ketan Kapoor, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Subject Matter Expert, Persistent System Pvt. Ltd; Siddhant Shah, Founder & CEO, Access For ALL; Alina Alam, Founder & CEO, MITTI – Social Initiatives Foundation; Cdr Shrirang Bijur, President, Association for the Welfare of Mentally Handicapped, Maharashtra; Jayakumar, National Manager, Disability Inclusion, AIF; Mahesh. K, Director, Livelihood, Association of People with Disability (APD); Mallikarjuna Iytha, Founder & CEO, Inclusive Divyangjan Entrepreneur Association (IDEA); Shri Naveen Shah, IFS, Chairman & Managing Director, National Divyangjan Finance & Development Corporation; Mathew Joseph, Country Director, AIF; Kamesh Sanghi, Director of Livelihood, AIF; Anupam Shukla, Director, Learning, Evaluation & Impact, AIF among others.
Even as a growing number of companies embrace affirmative action and commit to hiring a diverse workforce, India’s top corporations have only three persons with disabilities ( PwD) for every 1,000 employees on their payrolls. The employment landscape for PwDs stands at a critical juncture, necessitating urgent attention and action. In response, organizations are increasingly understanding the ‘Business of inclusion’ as a means to enhance organizational effectiveness and competitiveness. The opening session at the event ‘ Adapting Disability Inclusive Workspace for Organizational Effectiveness: Challenges & Opportunities’ delved into the complexities of this issue, exploring the challenges, policy landscape, strategies for organizational alignment, measurement methodologies, successful practices, and the transformative potential of technology in fostering disability inclusion in the workplace.
“Entrepreneurship and employment emerge as viable avenues for individuals with disabilities to achieve financial independence and resultant self-sufficiency. Inclusion is not just about economic empowerment; it’s about building a society where diversity is celebrated, and everyone has equal opportunities to succeed. AIF through its ABLE program has been at the forefront of disability inclusion for over a decade and through DI-verse, we aspire to create a more equitable and diverse society where every individual is valued.” Mathew Joseph, Country Director, American India Foundation
Entrepreneurship has long been celebrated as a pathway to economic independence and innovation. In today’s rapidly evolving entrepreneurial landscape, affecting micro, meso, and meta-level ecosystem changes among PwDs is not just a matter of social responsibility but also a strategic imperative for fostering inclusive economic growth. Despite progress in recognizing the talents and capabilities of people with disabilities, significant barriers persist, hindering their full participation in entrepreneurial endeavors.
This underrepresentation not only deprives society of diverse perspectives and innovative solutions but also overlooks the untapped potential of a substantial segment of the population. Thus, there is a critical need to prioritize and promote entrepreneurship among PwDs, to enhance their economic independence and well-being and leverage their skill and drive for innovation and value creation in the wider economy.
The second session ‘ Enablers and Best Practices to Elevate Entrepreneurs with Disabilities’ delved into the diverse obstacles confronting entrepreneurs with disabilities, encompassing issues like funding accessibility, resource availability, and societal biases. Drawing insights from accomplished entrepreneurs, disability advocates, policymakers, and industry leaders, the speaker shared tangible approaches and programs to promote inclusivity and equitable opportunities.
Mr. Kamesh Sanghi, Director of Livelihood at AIF, highlighted the significance of DI-verse in the landscape of inclusive development, stating, “At the core of our approach is a comprehensive certification program. We aim to become the leading certification provider, guiding corporations in integrating accessibility seamlessly into various facets of their operations, including communication strategies, policies, infrastructure, and hiring practices.”
DI-verse is an offshoot of AIF’s leading program – Ability Based Livelihood Empowerment (ABLE), which has trained over 18,000+ PwDs and provided jobs to 10,000+ candidates through partnerships with 1,800+ inclusive employers. AIF’s initiatives span from sign language courses for corporate employees, and national job fairs for PwDs, to an inclusive policy toolkit, and an AAA-certified accessible job portal, catering to remote and inclusive employment for PwDs. Linked to Divyangjan Rojgar Setu PM Daksh Portal, this portal is poised to serve 10 million PwDs across India. With the launch of DI-verse, AIF’s commitment to inclusivity takes a giant leap forward.
