Elly Yates-Roberts |
Microsoft and non-profit organisation EnAble India have partnered to deliver 100,000 opportunities in technology skilling and employment for people with disabilities (PwDs).
The initiative – called Inclusion to Action – will bring together more than 100 organisations in India across financial services, manufacturing, retail and technology to drive economic empowerment for PwDs.
The memorandum of understanding between EnAble India and Microsoft aims to address the higher rates of unemployment and socio-economic inequalities facing PwDs. The technical skilling programmes are designed to enhance understanding of digital accessibility and drive more inclusive product development. Participants of the programme will also gain access to training curriculum on modern workplace applications for higher productivity and effective collaboration.
“At Microsoft, we believe that disability is a strength, and we are committed to creating an ecosystem of accessibility to help tackle the disability divide, including disparities in employment,” said Anant Maheshwari, president of Microsoft India. “This unique collaboration between EnAble India and Microsoft marks the beginning of a continuous endeavour to engage with multiple stakeholders across industry, advocates, experts, policymakers, and the disability community to empower and transform employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. All of us now need to act with bolder ambition to empower this large untapped talent pool to achieve more.”