Karachi: The Pakistan Business and Disability Network (PBDN), in its third meeting hosted by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP) and supported by Sightsavers, GIZ, and the International Labour Organization (ILO), convened key stakeholders in Karachi to push forward the disability inclusion agenda in the workplace. This event brought together notable business leaders and disability advocates to review the network’s achievements and strategize on future initiatives.
According to Employers’ Federation of Pakistan, the meeting was opened by Majyd Aziz, former President and Director of EFP, who highlighted the significant contributions of PBDN and stressed the necessity of a comprehensive database for organizations working with Persons with Disabilities. He also called for enhanced visibility of the network’s efforts to increase awareness among the business community about disability inclusion progress in Pakistan.
Munnaza Gillani of Sightsavers applauded the leadership role of EFP and reiterated the commitment of her organization to advance the network’s goals, emphasizing the importance of robust public-private partnerships for substantial progress in this area.
From GIZ, Saquiba Aziz underscored the importance of creating non-discriminatory workplace environments and advocated for the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in executive roles, as opposed to limiting them to non-executive positions. She highlighted the critical role of mentorship and guidance in fostering a more inclusive workplace culture.
The meeting also featured a presentation by Syed Nazar Ali, Secretary General of EFP, who detailed the network’s initiatives over the past year and outlined future plans to enhance PBDN’s impact. These initiatives include awareness campaigns, job fairs, and policy dialogues aimed at fostering disability inclusion across Pakistan.
Contributions from the attendees included a proposal from Mobeen Chughtai of Soorty Enterprises Pvt Ltd. to create videos showcasing successful disability inclusion practices to inspire other companies. Sohabia Taqdees from GIZ suggested sharing global best practices and fostering innovation in disability inclusion strategies to create more adaptable and dynamic workplace environments.
Fareed Siddiqui from the Employment Exchange Govt of Sindh emphasized the importance of collaboration with government bodies to effectively implement PBDN’s initiatives. Discussions also highlighted the challenges of retaining Persons with Disabilities in the workforce, noting the necessity for training programs focused on skills development to help them adapt to evolving market demands.
The action plan presented by Secretary General Nazar Ali for the upcoming year includes organizing apprenticeship programs and job fairs in Lahore and Karachi to further integrate Persons with Disabilities into the workforce.
The meeting concluded with a unified commitment from all participants to continue striving towards a more inclusive environment for Persons with Disabilities and to actively support the initiatives of PBDN, ensuring their integration at all levels of the workforce.