The IREDE Foundation, a Lagos-based non-profit organisation, has launched a comprehensive recruitment toolkit aimed at helping employers and human resource professionals adopt inclusive hiring practices for people with disabilities.
The initiative, which forms part of the Foundation’s broader Disability Empowerment and Employability Project, was unveiled with the support of the Lagos State Government.
Founded in 2012, The IREDE Foundation is dedicated to encouraging, educating, and empowering children aged 0 to 18 living with congenital or acquired limb loss.
Through the provision of prosthetic limbs, advocacy, caregiver support groups, and skills development, the organisation seeks to ensure that child amputees lead fulfilling and self-sufficient lives.
The newly launched toolkit marks a significant expansion of this mission by addressing workplace inclusion for the broader PWD community.
Programmes Associate at The IREDE Foundation, Deborah Yusuf, told The PUNCH at the unveiling that the toolkit was developed to respond to a growing recognition that while many organisations are willing to employ people with disabilities, they often lack the knowledge, confidence, and structure to do so effectively.
She explained that the toolkit offers employers clear guidance from start to finish, covering everything from designing inclusive job advertisements to ensuring that recruitment processes and workspaces are accessible.
The toolkit also features a tracker and checklist to simplify implementation.
“The toolkit is not a standalone effort. It is part of DEEP’s multi-dimensional strategy to bridge the unemployment gap for PWDs and foster long-term inclusion in the workforce. As part of the project,
The IREDE Foundation also hosts a monthly conversation series called Open Mic for Disabilities, which serves as a platform to challenge stereotypes, raise awareness, and connect the private sector with disability inclusion experts.”
In addition, the foundation convened a stakeholder conference to engage public and private actors in conversations around disability employment and policy implementation, Yusuf noted.
General Manager of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs, Adenike Lawal, who spoke at the unveiling, commended the Foundation for developing a practical tool that employers can immediately apply.
She told The PUNCH that the Lagos State Government is committed to supporting inclusion at all levels and is working across ministries to institutionalise disability-friendly practices.
The executive disclosed that ministries including Women Empowerment, Youth and Social Development, Work Creation, and Environment and Agriculture have been tasked with embedding inclusive practices into their programmes. She added that ministries are expected to allocate specific opportunities for PWDs in empowerment programmes, events, and employment initiatives.
According to Lawal, the toolkit is a necessary response to the gap between policy and action, especially in workplaces where inclusion often exists only on paper. She emphasised that employers must go beyond compliance to create workspaces that are physically accessible, communication-friendly, and safe for persons with various types of disabilities, including those with albinism and visual or mobility impairments.
The IREDE Foundation stated that genuine inclusion requires a cultural shift that values functional needs, respects individual differences, and gives people with disabilities a meaningful role in shaping their work environments. It urged both public and private sector organisations to adopt the toolkit as a practical step towards fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce.
The Foundation believes the toolkit will serve as a catalyst for change by translating broad government policies into tangible workplace actions, ensuring that legal mandates are not merely theoretical but lead to real opportunities for people with disabilities.
