On International Day of People with Disability, we outline this year’s theme and discuss an exciting local collaboration with the ABC. We also look at Getting to work: Victorian public sector disability employment action plan 2018-2025 and explore how the Social Procurement Framework can benefit Victorians with disability. Lastly, we discuss next steps in the National Disability Strategy 2010-2020.

An international observance promoted by the United Nations (UN) since 1992, International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is held on December 3 each year, with the UN providing a yearly theme to promote the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities and to take action for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and development (UN).

IDPwD 2020: this year’s theme

The theme this year is Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID 19 World. To be commemorated in conjunction with the 13th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, this year IDPwD emphasize[s] the importance of disability-inclusive responses to COVID-19 and take stock of progress in “building back better,” including addressing the global policy framework on disability-inclusive development newly adopted by the General Assembly Third Committee this past November (UN).

IDPwD 2020 collaborates with the ABC

In Australia, an exciting partnership with the ABC will see the achievements and contributions of people with disability acknowledged and promoted through a series of digital articles exploring a range of experiences from Why we need more people who use wheelchairs working in science to What it means to live with fluctuating disability. Videos and stories will also be shared across ABC Radio, TV, online and iView.

This unique opportunity to “increase public awareness, understanding and recognition of the contributions of people with disability within our community” will run across the final month of 2020 and into 2021.

If you are looking for a place to begin your journey with the ABC, we recommend Re-Frame, a brilliant series of films made by and about people with disability and hosted by Birdie McKim from The Heights.

Getting to work

In Victoria, the Getting to work: Victorian public sector disability employment action plan 2018-2025 seeks to assist people with disability at all levels of the public service to:

• be more employed
• have successful careers
• have a fairer employment experience.

The plan, which has an extensive policy framework, aims to increase the number of people with disability in the public sector: 6% representation by 2020 and 12% by 2025.

To do this, it will seek to:

• build awareness through access to information
• attract and recruit people with disability
• support employees with disability.

To access a comprehensive suite of resources, including Getting to work Full Plan, Accessible full plan, Audio full plan and Auslan plan, please visit the Victorian Public Sector Commission website.

Social Procurement Framework

The Social Procurement Framework (SPF) was introduced in Victoria in late 2018 and requires departments and agencies to ask tenderers about the social and environmental benefits they offer. This can include asking tenderers how they can involve people with a disability in the project or support them through the tenderer’s business.

For example, to demonstrate high levels of compliance with the SPF, tenderers can work with an Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) in their operations generally or for the particular project. Tenderers can also demonstrate their inclusive employment practices that provide for Victorians with a disability to be employed and ideally some ongoing monitoring of targets. 

As Appendix B2 of the Guide to Individual procurement requirements under the SPF Detailed guidance for opportunities for Victorians with disability, states:

Paid work is one part of economic participation that builds a sense of self-worth and independence. When people with disability have higher incomes through work, they have more spending power as consumers and are more able to invest in housing and education. People with disability also contribute as producers of goods and services.

For more information about the SPF, please visit our previous blog, Disability and Social Procurement in Victoria.

The National Disability Strategy 2010-2020 and beyond

In Australia, the National Disability Strategy 2010-2020 gives all governments a national framework aimed at improving the lives of people with disability, their families and carers.

“Strategy’s ten-year national framework for reform focuses on better inclusion for people with disability and seeks to create a society that enables people with disability to fulfil their potential as equal citizens.”

Since the plan’s implementation, the Australian Government has consulted widely with people with disability, their families, and carers from diverse backgrounds to develop a National Disability Strategy beyond 2020. For more information about these consultations, visit the Department of Social Services: Disability and Carers website.

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For more information about this year’s IDPwD’s theme, visit the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Disability website.

IMAGE: IDPwD

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A participant in the UN Global Compact, CourtHeath seeks to raise awareness about the sustainable development goals and the principles of the Global Compact with business and government organisations in Victoria. The elimination of all forms of discrimination in respect to employment and occupation is Principle 6 of the Global Compact. The Global Compact repudiates labour discrimination internationally.

Written by Wendy Cavenett