Zero Project India Conference And CII-IBDN National Conference Hope To Inspire Change In Disability Space

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The Zero Project India Conference and CII-IBDN National Conference, supported by Omidyar Network India and lead partner Youth4Jobs, concluded its two-day event on Wednesday. This inaugural conference, organized in partnership with GDi Partners, Axis Bank Foundation, and The Hans Foundation, brought together leaders, experts, and advocates from across the globe to focus on empowering individuals with disabilities and driving positive change.

The Conference marked a significant step forward in promoting disability inclusion in India and worldwide. The shared commitment of organizations, leaders, and advocates to build an inclusive society was evident throughout the event.

The conference brought together on one platform, stakeholders from every sphere of the movement. Prominently featured in that list was Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, who said that employment is very important for Persons with Disability to have a very dignified life.

He shared the government's commitment to advancing disability rights and opportunities for all and spoke about the launch of the PM Daksh portal, which is a network of networks for skilling and employment opportunities, adding that they are collaborating with different stakeholders such as CII, Youth4Jobs, Enable India and others to increase the number of job postings to 25,000 very soon. He also spoke about the possibilities of using technology, which are endless. "One language which sometimes gets missed out in all these translation and vernacular devices is sign language.

Next week, on International Sign Day, we are releasing in open source 10,000 sign videos and talking to people in the AI field to create sign-to-text and text-to-sign functionality," he added.

Representing the voice of popular culture was Bollywood actor Saiyami Kher, Friend of Zero Project India Conference, who shared her experience while interacting with multiple para-athletes for her recent movie 'Ghoomer' and talked about how her perspective has shifted, " It is inspiring to see that PwDs have figured out that winning in their own minds is key and then everything else follows. That is why, the barriers faced by persons with disabilities are at a societal level and are not something that is intrinsic. The entertainment sector has the power and reach to make a societal change in the country and bring an attitudinal shift of the masses."

Shilpa Kumar from Omidyar Network India spoke about the role that investors and funders can play in altering the landscape, "India has seen an enormous change as entrepreneurs and technology have driven substantive change in almost every area. However, such tech-led innovations have led to a double divide for communities that don't have digital access. This gap is particularly evident in terms of technology focused on persons with disabilities. This is where investors and philanthropists can help catalyze innovation. We can help build a community of changemakers and entrepreneurs who can focus their effort to build inclusive solutions."

Venkatraman SV, Chairman, CII National Committee on Empowerment of PwDs & IBDN, said that in the inclusion eco-system, the charity lens needs to be replaced with the 'enabling' lens. The issue of disability diversity is especially crucial in today's DEI agenda of organizations and the CII-IBDN, a network for engaging, enabling and empowering industry by promoting an inclusive, barrier-free workplace within the corporate sector is accelerating the change.

He shared the 4 elements which are common to champion companies vis-à-vis D&I, which are the top management's commitment leading to inclusive policies and strong governance, conscious inclusive recruitment practices, awareness and adaptation to break barriers and forging strong partnerships that bring together complementary resources to create value.

Satoshi Sasaki, Officer-in-Charge (India), International Labour Organization (ILO), said that persons with disabilities account for about 16% of the world's population, of which around 80% are in the working age, and while much has been done for their inclusion, much remains to be done. ILO has a long-standing commitment to promote social justice, and inclusive employment is a key component of inclusive growth.

"ILO takes a twin-track approach to disability inclusion. One track allows disability specific programmes/ initiatives aimed at overcoming barriers. Other track seeks to ensure the inclusion of PwDs in mainstream services and activities such as skill training, employment poverty reduction strategies etc." He stressed that all partners - governments, corporates, NGOs, civil society - must work together to accelerate the pace of change.

Meera Shenoy, Youth4Jobs said, "The unique feature of this conference is it brings all important stakeholders onto one platform. If India has to show the world a model of inclusion and impact, partnerships and innovations are the key."

Martin Essl, CEO and Founder of the Essl Foundation and the Zero Project, inspired attendees with his vision for a more inclusive world: "We believe in the power of technology as a unique toolset to create change. But it has to be done inclusively and accessibly; working with people with disabilities at all stages of development. We see Artificial Intelligence opening up new opportunities which we have to seize to create this world with zero barriers that is our vision. Technologies also allow for effectively transferring innovation to new regions and countries, so we need to make sure this potential is realized and support the most promising solutions to realize it as quickly as possible."

The conference featured six thought-provoking panel discussions on critical topics, including employment opportunities, assistive technology, and policy reforms.

The two days saw the following launches:
• The Disability Inclusion & Support Hub (DISH) database, a groundbreaking resource that connects individuals with disabilities to a wealth of services, support, and opportunities, aimed at simplifying the journey towards inclusion.

• The Women Entrepreneur Platform (WE-DO), a pioneering initiative that aims to empower women with disabilities to become entrepreneurs and leaders in their respective fields.

• The Accessibility Playbook, a comprehensive guide designed to facilitate the organization of events that are accessible and PWD-friendly.
In addition to discussions and launches, the conference hosted an exhibition showcasing the latest assistive technologies for persons with disabilities. Attendees had the opportunity to explore cutting-edge innovations that promise to enhance the lives of individuals with diverse abilities.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.