Telenor Pakistan raises awareness for people with disabilities

Khuddar Pakistan, which means “Responsible Pakistan”, is Telenor Pakistan’s flagship corporate responsibility initiative that was launched in 2009. The purpose of Khuddar Pakistan is to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities through awareness, accessibility and inclusion. Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP), a cross-disability organisation, serves as a formal disability advisor to Telenor Pakistan to provide consultancy services on issues related to disability in Pakistan and international trends.

“I see Telenor Pakistan as a change maker. We convert the challenges faced by a person with a disability into an opportunity for them to be an employee of a corporate organisation. It also sensitizes his/her co-workers to people with disabilities, promoting acceptance and empathy throughout the company,” said Anjum Rahman, Director Corporate Communications & Responsibility, Telenor Pakistan.

Awareness: Telenor Pakistan is striving to change the public mindset and raise awareness about people with disabilities. The company has conducted a large number of “Disability Equality Training” programmes for employees, including management, to raise awareness and sensitize employees on working with people with disabilities. From August 2009 to August 2010, a total of 52 radio programmes were aired under the Khuddar Pakistan Radio Talk Show. These programmes covered a diverse range of topics such as basic rights of people with disabilities, the challenges they face in society and leading examples set by local disabled heroes.

Accessibility: Telenor Pakistan has sponsored assistive technology training labs for people with disabilities at National Institute of Special Education (NISE) and Special Talent Exchange (STEP). Certified “people with disabilities” auditors conducted audits of Telenor’s office buildings so that changes could made reasonably accessible. Five of the buildings, including the main office, in Islamabad are now accessible. Our goal is to make all sales and services centers and regional offices fully accessible by end 2011.

Inclusion: Telenor Pakistan values diversity and pledges to integrate people with disabilities fully into its workforce. Telenor plans to bring the Open Mind Program to Telenor Pakistan in 2011. Currently, Telenor has 15 people with disabilities employed full time within its workforce and they plan to include people with not only physical disabilities, but other disabilities as well under the Open Mind Program very soon.

In addition, Telenor Pakistan has sponsored a number of different events related to disability such as the Leadership Conference for Persons with Disabilities 2009, the Regional Leadership Conference for Persons with Disabilities in South Asia 2010, Khuddar Pakistan Blind Cricket Talent Hunt, the Wheelchair cricket tournament, and more.