World Cerebral Palsy Day: PwDs expect WFH conditions to be extended

This World Cerebral Palsy Day (October 6), activists hope that these working conditions will continue after the shutdown to help those with disability.

With physical accessibility a constant issue for people with disability, with regard to transportation and workplaces, working from home decreases the commuting that often causes issues for them. “Many buildings are inaccessible for people with disability. Of all the public transportation, the metro is the most accessible. Working from home relieves us of that stress of transport, and saves a lot of time that we use for working,” said Sathish Kumar R, a banker and member of the Disability Rights Alliance.

Many people with cerebral palsy shared that working from home has amplified their productivity, as the free-flowing timings and working hours helped them work around their condition. This flexibility, according to advocate Ummul Khair, has helped many, including herself, better focused and concentrated on their work responsibilities.

“I could dictate the working times and that gave me a lot of leeways. Due to this, my health has also improved greatly. I now am able to schedule my therapy appointments in such a way that I remain regular, and take the cares I need for my body, that is typically difficult to do in office working conditions,” said Khair.

However, for some people with cerebral palsy, the translation to the digital took some getting used to. For those with access to technology, the change was smooth but for others, it took some time. “However, my parents were always close by to help me learn and soon, I was able to carry on work by myself. Having them close by is helpful because they can assist me for anything that I might need immediately,” said another person with cerebral palsy.

Advocates hope that these changes are permanent in the future. “Some jobs cannot be off-site. I work as a banker and even though I had the opportunity to work from home, I chose to come to the office because I enjoy the workplace culture and environment. However, the option to choose must be given to PwDs,” said Kumar.