ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Experts attending a series of disability inclusion-themed panel discussions have called for concerted efforts to ensure disability inclusion in Africa and beyond.
The call was made by participants attending a series of panel discussions as part of the Disability Inclusion Awareness Week organized by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, this week, the UNECA said in a statement issued late Wednesday.
Participants shared personal experiences on barriers faced by persons with disabilities in the work environment, underlining the need to raise more public awareness about institutional and attitudinal barriers that make it difficult, if not impossible, for persons with disabilities to participate in everyday life and common daily activities.
They underscored that persons with disabilities are integral to global well-being as they contribute their intellect, skills and abilities to social transformation, and they should not be excluded and discriminated against based on their disability, the UNECA said.
The discussions, focusing on the need for appropriate language toward persons with disabilities, reasonable accommodation, disability inclusion employment and human rights, formed the basis for the commemoration of the 2023 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is annually commemorated on Dec. 3.
The barriers highlighted include poor work environments such as physical barriers for persons with disabilities, the lack of easily and safely accessible work areas and inappropriate conditions where they cannot perform their duties because they need assistive devices and tools, according to the statement.
Participants suggested that sign language should be made a mandatory language for high-level managers within the UN system and that all staff should be encouraged to learn and use it.
The discussions further called for the recognition of hidden disabilities which include autism, neurodiversity and albinism, which participants said were "invisible disabilities" because of their complexity and the discrimination attached to them.
"Disability is a unique aspect of the human experience," the statement quoted Catherine Pollard, UN Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, as saying. She highlighted that the UN believes that diversity is its strength and that embracing differences enriches the workspace, sparking creativity and innovation.
"By making our workplace more accessible, providing reasonable accommodations and implementing inclusive policies, we ensure that persons with disabilities can participate equally," Pollard said.
