Treaty Body Webcast II

Inclusion can’t wait: The business case for the inclusion of persons with disabilities

Panel Session at United Nations Business and Human Rights Forum

27 November 2019, 9-10.15am, Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva

MAKE SURE TO ENABLE THE SOUND IN THE VIDEO WINDOW

Background

The annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights is the global platform for stock-taking and lesson-sharing on efforts by States and companies to promote human rights in business operations  as set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. As the world’s foremost gathering in this area, it provides a unique space for dialogue between governments, business, civil society, affected groups and international organisations on trends, challenges and good practices in preventing and addressing business-related human rights impacts.

The key message which emerged from last year’s forum was that governments must step up their action and leadership.  As a result, the theme of the 2019 forum is “Time to act: Governments as catalysts for business respect for human rights”.

This Session

With respect to the world of work, persons with disabilities have historically faced serious challenges and barriers impeding their access to employment.  This represents a violation not only of their rights, but a loss for our societies and economies. Many persons with disabilities continue to face discrimination with respect to opportunities and outcomes in the world of work.

As a result, there is disproportionately low representation of persons with disabilities in the global labour market. Across all regions, on average, persons with disabilities are employed at a 25% lower rate than others. In Africa and India, about three out of four persons with disabilities are excluded from the labour force.

And where they are employed, they face obstacles in their working environment and conditions with poor promotional prospects. In Chile, 20% of persons with disabilities report that their workplace is not accessible, while in Cameroon it is 50% and in Sri Lanka, 45% of employed persons with disabilities.

Businesses have a primary responsibility to ensure that recruitment processes and workplaces are barrier-free to ensure that all potential employees, including persons with disabilities, have equal opportunities to be hired and included in the workplace. Accessible and inclusive work environments not only ensure that employees with disabilities can contribute and advance in their careers on an equal basis with others, they also serve to promote staff engagement and retention for better business results. Governments have a key role to guide businesses in fostering inclusive workplaces which embrace diversity and strengthen respect for human rights.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, among other instruments, guide States in these commitments – both with respect to businesses within their borders and those beyond in the framework of international cooperation.

Aim of the session

This panel session, organised by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the Office of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the EU funded Bridging the Gap Project- Inclusive Policies and Services for Equal Rights of persons with Disabilities, seeks to present good practices to promote the employment of persons with disabilities and to consolidate the business case for inclusion.

The panelists will share their unique perspectives from government, the private sector, the disability movement, national business and disability networks, and international cooperation agencies, on how they are working to fulfil this common goal.

The session will be followed by a Q&A discussion. Live captioning will be available during the event and the panel will be webcast live and archived on UNTV.

Speakers  

Moderator: Lene Wendland, Chief of the Business and Human Rights Unit of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

  • Catalina Devandas Aguilar, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – video message
  • Eleni Theodorou, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Consultant: What is the business case for the inclusion of persons with disabilities?
  • Carla Bonino, CSR and Sustainability head of Unit at ONCE Foundation, Spain: How can we make the future of work inclusive for persons with disabilities? Presentation of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network and ONCE Foundation publication “Making the future of work inclusive for people with disabilities”.
  • Dylan Winder, Counsellor and Team Leader Humanitarian, Protracted Crises and Migration, UK Mission to the UN and WTO, Geneva: Good practices of inclusive employment in international development and cooperation, how the private sector has been engaged in the Global Disability Summit (GDS) in 2018 and findings of the “GDS18: One Year On” report.
  • Firehiwot Siyum, Independent Expert, former coordinator of the Ethiopian National Business and Disability Network: How can we engage with the private sector to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workplace? Perspectives and experience of the Ethiopian National Business and Disability Network
  • Thierry Fiquet, SOCIEUX+, European Union Expertise on Social Protection, Labour and Employment: Examples of support to governments in Latin America, Africa and the Caucasus region to build their capacity to foster inclusive employment policies and practices.

Concluding remarks: Berhanu Tefera, International Disability Alliance: The role of organisations of persons with disabilities (DPOs) in the way forward to promoting business that is inclusive of persons with disabilities.

Opening words by:

Mr Klemen Ponikvar, Permanent Mission of Slovenia

Speakers:

The Ambassador Mr FOO Kok Jwee, Permanent Representative of Singapore

Ms Liat Ayalon, Israel, “AGEISM: Opportunities and challenges to life in a world for all ages”

Mr Naraidoo Gava Naraidoo, Mauritius, Secretary General, Association DIS-MOI “Human Rights Education: Better protecting the rights of older people”

Mr Rio Hada, Team leader, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, OHCHR

Dr Ruediger Krech, Director, Health Promotion Department, WHO “The Global Campaign against Ageism”

Moderator: Silvia Perel-Levin, Chair NGO Committee on Ageing, Geneva

The panel will be followed by an interactive debate with the audience. Captioning will be available

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