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Article

26 Feb 2018

Author:
Elizabeth Ombati, Standard Media

Commentary: Companies should support the rights & inclusion of persons with disabilities

"How companies that respect and support rights of persons with disabilities can benefit from inclusion," 23 February 2018

... A key impact of the adoption of the CRPD [Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities] is the expectation from persons with disabilities that their rights be respected as citizens, employees, suppliers, customers and generally, as members of society... businesses have to adapt their policies and practices to ensure they are not only meeting these basic expectations but also advancing the rights of persons with disabilities... In its 2017 annual report, the communications company Safaricom noted that approximately 1.4 per cent of its workforce are persons with disabilities and that they were working towards closing the year at 2 per cent.

... As a point of concern, companies have to be wary of approaching persons with disabilities from a charity perspective. In this sense, many businesses or companies may dedicate funds to corporate social responsibility where they engage in ‘helping the needy’. In as much as this is welcome, it may foster stereotypes that persons with disabilities are charity cases who need help. Rather, companies and businesses have to be at the forefront of fostering the respect for human rights for persons with disabilities.