KATHMANDU, JULY 24

Employers Meet 2022 was organised here 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 claimed to be the first-ever event of its kind in Nepal for igniting the essence of Disability Confident Employers Movement (DCEM).

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

Fuelling 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 the NFDN and the FNCCI and focuses on full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including young people and persons with disabilities.

Inaugurating the Employers Meet, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Shekhar Golchha said it was the moral responsibility of all to provide equal employment opportunities to the differently-abled people. He also urged all the employers to give priority to employment of these people. He announced that employment would be provided to at least 100 differently-abled people before the FNCCI's annual general meeting in April.

On the occasion, Leprosy Mission Nepal's National Director Shobhakhar Kadel shared that the Mission that was established 166 years ago had been actively working in 32 countries, including Nepal for rehabilitation of people with disabilities resulting from leprosy and bringing improvement in their living standard.

He said the Employers Meet being organised for the first time to ensure employment to the people with disabilities was an important opportunity. The participating employers have pledged to provide job opportunities to differently-abled people. They said they had exceptional skills and efficiency that would ultimately benefit employers and make the business inclusive.

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

A version of this article appears in the print on July 25, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.