If daily life did not stop during Covid-19 in this digital age, why should it stop for persons with disability on a regular day?
“You cannot get things done by assigning it to a person with disability,” said a prominent official during one of my field visits. Legally, Article 28 of the Constitution of Bangladesh 1972 guarantees freedom from all kinds of discrimination.
Yet, unfortunately, people with disabilities, who comprise 1.41% of the total population in Bangladesh, continue to be stigmatized and underutilized due to lack of proper accessibility and inclusion in society.
In order to flatten the curve of infections from Covid-19, the organization I am a part of has adopted strict measures by making all its employees work from home. During this quarantine, our regular tasks are managed by meetings over Hangout, situations are handled via email communications, and research is completed online. It has been fascinating for me to observe how our workflows have changed as we went digital, never skipping a beat.
It was just today, during the morning meeting, that my supervisor had said, “Think innovatively and bring changes to your work modality considering the lock down.” He assured his employees that we could achieve our goals as efficiently working from home as we would by being in office for eight hours.
This made me wonder if we ever prioritized making the same adjustments available for people with disabilities, with the same urgency to facilitate an environment where they could utilize their full potential and contribute to the economy, too.
Globally, this pandemic has made organizations and institutions use digital communication and technology to ensure accessibility to all. Students and teachers are learning and teaching through online portals.
Globalization has also continued amid the coronavirus boomerang. When able people are affected, “impossible” accommodations are seen to become possible. However, when people with disabilities need the same support, they are denied.
Covid-19 has done more than place us into quarantine or kill people we care about.
It has also made us realize that people with disabilities are not disabled by their impairment, but by the barriers in the community that prevent them gaining equal access and opportunities.
People with disabilities can positively contribute to the national economy if they are provided with resources and adequate opportunities to build themselves. Most of the welfare countries across the world have structured plans to implement various specialized programs and laws to protect the rights of persons with disabilities.
The government of Bangladesh has also implemented national acts and policies such as the Disability Rights and Protection Act 2013, National Strategy for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Skills Development 2016, and the Seventh Five Year Plan for the people with disability.
The government is highly committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, leaving no one behind, particularly those with disabilities. However, these national policies and plans have not been implemented effectively or monitored as needed to establish the socio-economic and political rights of disabled people.
Last but not the least, we have not practised the application and dissemination of 21st century tools to alleviate the challenges of people with disabilities in Bangladesh.
For people with disabilities, an enabling environment and a change in the management philosophy must be put in place to help them make the most of the transformational potential of digitalization, and its new working practises highlighted by this global emergency.
Accessibility measures are now being looked at in a different light by many employers, in response to a problem affecting all workers, not just those with disabilities and ongoing health conditions.
I believe we should consider offering these options all the time because disability exists even when there is no life-threatening virus.
As Bangladesh aims to become a developed country by 2041, the country will have to maintain a 9% average real GDP growth for 20 years after 2021 to fulfill its vision.
Therefore, continuing the utilization of digital platforms and technology can enhance the participation of people with disability in the workforce, which can be vital for the nation’s progress.
Nimmi Hamid is a policy analyst, Brac.
