KATHMANDU: An Employers Meet 2022 has been organized in Kathmandu with the objective of highlighting disability-inclusive employment and its impact on economic growth and diversity promotion.

With the theme, ‘Together for Disability Inclusive Employment’, it is claimed to be the first-ever event of its kind in Nepal to ignite the essence of Disability Confident Employers Movement (DCEM).

The Employers Meet was organized by the Fueling Opportunities to end Unemployment for Nepalese with Disabilities (FOUND) project.

Fueling Opportunities to end Unemployment for Nepalese with Disabilities (FOUND) project is working for employment of Persons with Disabilities. The project is implemented by The Leprosy Mission Nepal in partnership with NFDN and FNCCI and aiming on Full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities.

Inaugurating the Employers Meet, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) president Shekhar Golchha said it is the moral responsibility of all to provide equal employment opportunities to the differently- abled people and urged all the employers to give priority in employment to these people.

He announced that employment would be provided to at least 100 differently abled people before the FNCCI’s annual general meeting in coming April.

The Leprosy Mission Nepal’s national director Shobhakhar Kadel shared on the occasion that the Mission that was established 166 years ago is actively working in 32 countries including Nepal for the rehabilitation of people with disabilities resulting from leprosy and bringing improvement in their living standard.

He said the Employers Meet being organized for the first time to ensure employment to the people with disabilities is an important opportunity.

Participating employers have pledged to provide job opportunities to differently abled people as they said they have exceptional skills and efficiency, thus ultimately benefiting employers and by this, business could be inclusive.

On the occasion, experiences, challenges and success stories disabled people have had were exchanged. Similarly, a presentation on the role of human resources department of employing companies in making workplace disabled inclusive was also given. The Found Project has launched inclusive employment opportunity campaign in Morang, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts through its various 11 projects.

The project is targeting business owners and employers to improve knowledge, confidence, skills and attitudes so they understand the abilities of people with disabilities.

For people with disabilities, the project will provide support to improve the employability skills and self-confidence, pilot inclusive job searches and hiring practices and collate evidence of what works, it was shared on the occasion. (RSS)