#BridgetheGap! Workshop on Disability-Inclusive Workplace and Environment for Persons with Disabilities

On March 19, General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA) partner ASEAN Youth Organization (AYO) organized a virtual #BridgetheGap! workshop that highlighted the need for disability-inclusive workplace facilities and environments for persons with disabilities at state agencies and private sector companies. AGENDA and AYO aimed to increase the public and young people’s  understanding of the needs of persons with disabilities. Participants emphasized that inclusive environments should be provided everywhere, including at home and in the workplace. Indonesian Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) H.E. Yuyun Wahyuningrum explained in her keynote speech that various regional frameworks exist to support disability rights in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). She mentioned AICHR’s initiative to gather best practices in ASEAN Member States to fulfill the rights of persons with disabilities during the pandemic. There were three speakers at the event: Diva Asnawi from Konekin Indonesia, Alister Ong as a worker with a disability representative from Singapore and Arvin Widiawan AYO Ambassador 2020 and representative from The Diffable Way. They discussed the implementation of inclusive values in the workplaces of various countries from different perspectives, ranging from policies, implementation of facilities and work culture that supports inclusive workplaces. A total of 111 people participated in the event via Zoom, and 744 people viewed the live stream on AYO’s Facebook.