CAN THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF POVERTY AND DISABILITY BE BROKEN?

Disability and poverty are closely linked. An estimated 1 billion people (15% of the world’s population) live with disabilities and 80 per cent of them live in developing countries. Ironically, people with disabilities are often left out of Economic development programs, while they belong to the poorest of the poor. But can the vicious cycle of poverty and disability be broken? 

It's no secret that employees with disabilities already struggle to get the support they need. Despite employment law guidelines, the Equality Act and Human Rights charters, many employers still struggle to see that the problem is not the person's disability, but a mismatch between their abilities and their working environment. 

This concept of a Social Model of Disability remains a point of interest but not of action and for the wider working world.  And in a predominantly non-disabled workplace culture, disabled people`s needs continue to fly under the radar of many employers. 

 WORK PLACE CULTURE

Culture at the workplace has a huge role to play in how protected and supported disabled employees feel. Co-workers often don’t understand what it means to have a disability, how to cooperate with PWDs at the work place and the need for reasonable accommodation. This may well be why so many Persons with disability choose to 'get on with it', risking further health complications further down the line, rather than exercise their right to access reasonable adjustments to fit in their working environment.

By encouraging a more compassionate and open-minded approach at all levels in the workplace, we can help change how disability is seen and understood. But is that even possible?

HOW EMPLOYERS CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN?

In order to become more disability inclusive, organizations will need to cycle through systemic changes to break down the intentional and unintentional barriers that have historically kept disabled people from participating. Organizations should always begin by identifying the change they would like to see.

An organization’s leadership must commit to this change. Without this commitment, an organization will remain rudderless as they will have significant difficulties implementing the policy changes needed to make their organization friendlier to disabled people.

Leadership and staff should review organizational policies. An organization may choose to do a full review of all its policies or it may target just a few to get started

Seek input from disabled experts. It’s important to include disabled people throughout the process. However, it is especially important to include them as you begin to think about creating new policies. Disabled experts can be staff members, disability inclusion contractors, policy experts, board members, and volunteers who have disabilities.

Often stereotypes and preconceived ideas about the needs and abilities of disabled people cause employers to feel apprehensive about hiring disabled employees. By being open and willing to think creatively and adjust attitudes, organizations can ensure they are prepared to hire and retain employees with disabilities.

Before building out a hiring plan, organizations should understand disability-focused laws and best practices to ensure they can effectively support job candidates and employees with disabilities. Yes, employers will likely recognize the need to be more inclusive and aware of disability and then the vicious cycle of poverty can be broken in general.

HOW GOVERNMENTS AND CSOs CAN CONTRIBUTE

Prioritizing Food Security Food security 

People living in extreme poverty first need to secure their daily consumption needs before they can graduate out of poverty, Livelihood programs should aim at improving the food security situation of these households. Common activities covered in livelihood programs are group formations, empowerment, confidence building, asset and skills transfer, and savings and finance management

Investing in Livelihood programs

CSO`s and Governments must Empower people with disabilities in making their own living by removing the barriers that prohibit their equal participation in economic development. Involvement in economic development means much more than gaining access to income, it also has a very positive impact on social inclusion. When people with disabilities are able to generate their own income, their status in the household and the community improves and their self-esteem and empowerment get a natural boost let’s look at supporting disabled people groups.

Improving means of access to financial services 

Self-employment is an important survival strategy for people with disabilities. Because of the lack of access to education and formal employment, the informal sector is often their only refuge. Lack of access to credit is another barrier. Like many other people in the informal sector, disabled entrepreneurs benefit from business training and access to small loans.  Society should look more at spearheading Business programs and create market linkages for Disabled Entrepreneurs 

Inclusion is the Only Action we Can Do For all Persons with disabilities to  Belong, we need to act now.