The Down Syndrome Association of Argentina's (ASDRA) Labour Inclusion Initiative has been recognised by the United Nations at the 27th session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

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What is the ASDRA Labour Inclusion Initiative?

Asociacion Sindrome de Down de la Republica Argentina (ASDRA) share our belief that people with disabilities should have access to employment in inclusive workplaces.

ASDRA's Labour Inclusion Initiative aims to facilitate a better quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities through their participation in employment in the open and competitive labour market. 

ASDRA work jointly with people with intellectual disabilities and their families, employers and training institutions to achieve inclusive employment for people with intellectual disabilities.

• They provide guidance, advice and training to employers and their teams.
• They provide professional assistance on issues of accessibility, job adaptation and reasonable adjustments through work with specialised institutions.
• They help find staff with disabilities with the skills required for each position.
• They monitor the people in the post.
• They promote the companies that are offering inclusive employment.

"ASDRA believes that inclusion should not cost anyone any work. It is about believing in people, in their potential, providing real opportunities and the support that each person requires. It is about believing and transforming realities,"

- Silvina Alonso, coordinator.

Agustín enjoys his role at a kindergarten thanks to the ASDRA initiative.

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What has been achieved?

Since the programme began in 2013 more than 300 people with intellectual disabilities have been placed in inclusive employment.

More than 6,000 people have received training on inclusion in the workplace.

ASDRA has created and delivered training for Occupational Therapy students to help them understand the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. 

ASDRA have so far been invited to share this project in the Scientific Committee of the Iberoamerican Federation of Down Syndrome, at the Government House and at the Senate of the Nation.

It has also been widely publicised on LinkedIn and public television.

Leila now works at a hotel thanks to support from the ASDRA team.

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United Nations recognition

Dr. Amalia Gamio, vice-president of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, participated in the ASDRA Conference "The inclusion of workers with disabilities in the hybrid era".

Dr. Gamio later extended the invitation to ASDRA to present their Labour Inclusion Initiative to the United Nations Committee.

"It is an honour for ASDRA, after 34 years of work for the inclusion of our sons and daughters with Down syndrome, to receive this recognition from the UN"

- Alejandro Cytrynbaum, president of ASDRA.

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We believe everyone should have access to employment in inclusive workplaces.

Read more about what we are doing to achieve this.

Inclusive employment

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