New forum aims to bring together the business and disability sectors

A new forum – the first of its kind in Malta – is aimed at building closer ties between the disability and business sectors, creating a platform for discussion and improving dialogue between people with a disability and business organisations.

The Malta Business Disability Forum, chaired by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), has been established officially by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between its nine members.

Apart from the CRPD, these are the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the Malta Employers’ Association and the GRTU – Malta Chamber of SMEs as founding members. These have been joined by the MFOPD – Malta Federation of Organisations of Persons with Disability, the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, the Office of the Commissioner for Mental Health, the Gozo Business Chamber and the Local Councils’ Association.

“We wanted to bring together stakeholders from different fields, but with a common focus, to create a stronger unified voice to bring about concrete action.

We feel that this forum – the first of its kind in Malta – has extraordinary potential and we are very excited to be leading it forward,” said CRPD commissioner Oliver Scicluna.

Based on a similar set-up in the UK, this forum will also focus on bridging the gap between employers and people with disability.

Over 19,000 people with a disability are registered with the

Commission and yet barriers to accessibility and employment for disabled people are still rife.

Together, the entities forming part of the Forum will work to maximise accessibility for people with a disability in the business and employment spheres. They will also work to help bridge the gap between business people and people with a disability and promote accessibility in the provision of service, while enhancing the career and employment aspirations of people with a disability.

The Forum will also work to identify issues that require attention and action and to influence the government and policy-makers to remove barriers and change legislation and bureaucratic practices.

In addition, the Forum will also act as a point of reference for government and policymakers to provide feedback in respect of new policies and will work to commission research in the field of disability and business. It will also explore interlinks and provide evidence for action to show the business and employment potential of people with a disability as consumers and business owners and to generate public awareness on these issues.