Behind the Mission: Race and Gender at the World Bank Group

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Behind the Mission: Race and Gender at the World Bank Group

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  • 00:00 [UPBEAT MUSIC]
  • 00:07 [THE WORLD BANK GROUP BEHIND THE MISSION]
  • 00:10 [INCLUSIONS AND DISABILITIES & WBG]
  • 00:11 - Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening.
  • 00:13 And welcome to Behind the Mission.
  • 00:15 Our monthly series here, where we discuss what it takes
  • 00:17 and what it's like to work at the World Bank Group.
  • 00:20 [SRIMATHI SRIDHAR - EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ASSOCIATE] I'm your host Srimathi Sridhar and it's my pleasure
  • 00:23 to be guiding you through today's discussion on inclusion and disabilities at the World Bank Group.
  • 00:28 Now I'll be joined by an excellent panel of guests
  • 00:30 that include Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo
  • 00:32 who is our global disability advisor at the World Bank Group,
  • 00:36 Karthik Tiruvarur, an investment officer with the International Finance Corporation
  • 00:40 and Özgül Calicioglu, an environmental engineer at the World Bank Group
  • 00:44 who is also part of the 2019 cohort for the Young Professionals Program.
  • 00:49 Now ahead of international day of persons with disabilities on December 3rd,
  • 00:54 Charlotte, Karthik and Özgül are here to share with us their experiences,
  • 00:58 debunk some common myths and answer your questions.
  • 01:01 So do talk to us throughout the program,
  • 01:03 leave your questions for us in the comment section of this chat
  • 01:06 and join us online using the #behindthemissionWBG.
  • 01:10 And with that being said, Charlotte, Karthik and Özgül,
  • 01:13 welcome to Behind the Mission.
  • 01:15 I want to start off by asking each of you a question
  • 01:18 and please feel free to also introduce yourselves at that time.
  • 01:21 Charlotte, let me start with you.
  • 01:24 You've spent your entire career advocating inclusion for persons with disabilities
  • 01:28 on a national and global scale.
  • 01:30 So as awareness of inclusion has grown,
  • 01:33 what changes have you seen over the years?
  • 01:36 - Thank you very much, Sri and thank you so much for having me.
  • 01:39 By way of introducing myself,
  • 01:41 I'd like to say my name is Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, [CHARLOTTE MCCLAIN-NHLAPO]
  • 01:44 I'm the global disability advisor at the World Bank Group [GLOBAL DISABILITY ADVISOR, WORLD BANK GROUP]
  • 01:47 and for those who may not be able to see me,
  • 01:50 I am a brown skinned woman, I have brown long hair,
  • 01:54 I wear tortoise shell glasses, I have greenish eyes
  • 01:59 and I'm wearing big gold hoops
  • 02:01 and I have a jacket on that is dark blue with some black spots on it.
  • 02:07 So to your question, I think over the years, Sri,
  • 02:10 I've witnessed a significant uptick in awareness around disability inclusion.
  • 02:16 And I attribute this, in a large part,
  • 02:19 to the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities
  • 02:21 that has now reached almost universal ratification.
  • 02:25 The convention, like many of the frameworks,
  • 02:27 has really began to take root in society and it's beginning to guide and direct
  • 02:31 how we engage with persons with disabilities
  • 02:34 and how we ensure that persons with disabilities are part of the development agenda.
  • 02:39 I'd also like to say that organizations of persons with disabilities across the globe
  • 02:44 are advocating for their rights based on the convention.
  • 02:48 And they're beginning to influence and direct policy
  • 02:51 and increasingly assuming positions of leadership.
  • 02:54 So as a result of this, as a result of the awareness,
  • 02:58 we're seeing, nationally, an increase
  • 03:00 in the number of anti discrimination disability laws.
  • 03:04 Currently, about 45 countries have laws.
  • 03:07 so definitely room for improvement here.
  • 03:10 And globally, I'd say the awareness of disability inclusion and disability rights
  • 03:15 are also being internalized by many bilateral donors.
  • 03:19 Many of whom now have disability strategies or policies in place.
  • 03:24 And then, of course, the awareness of disability inclusive development
  • 03:27 is finding traction in institutions like the World Bank,
  • 03:31 where we have a disability inclusion and accountability framework,
  • 03:35 as well as the environmental social framework
  • 03:37 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.
  • 03:40 And also further provides triggers for disability inclusion in our projects.
  • 03:45 So I'd conclude by saying,
  • 03:48 yes I have seen significant advancements
  • 03:51 in the development of laws and policies
  • 03:55 and now we need to focus on enforcement and implementation,
  • 03:59 the collection of more robust disability data.
  • 04:03 And we need to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind.
  • 04:06 And this is particularly important given COVID-19
  • 04:10 and our efforts to build back better.
  • 04:15 - Absolutely, it's great to have you here, Charlotte, thank you.
  • 04:19 Karthik I want to now turn over to you.
  • 04:21 You're someone who has worked out in the field in different country offices,
  • 04:25 so tell us more about what that experience has been like for you.
  • 04:30 - Absolutely.
  • 04:31 Hi, everyone, I'm very excited to be speaking with you,
  • 04:35 [KARTHIK TIRUVARUR - DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES] my co-panelists and everyone who's joined us live.
  • 04:39 [INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION] I'm Karthik, I grew up in India, as a way of introduction.
  • 04:42 I moved to the U.S about eight years back when I came here for my grad school
  • 04:47 and joined the World Bank Group as a young professional
  • 04:50 and based here in our IFC headquarters in Washington, DC.
  • 04:54 When I was nine years old, I met with an accident
  • 04:57 that ended up in me having an amputation of my right arm and right leg.
  • 05:02 And I have been wearing prosthetic limbs for about 25 years now.
  • 05:07 To the specific question on working in local offices,
  • 05:11 Sri, I had a brief stint of two years in the IFC South Asia office in Delhi
  • 05:16 and as a young professional, I spent one year in our Beijing office.
  • 05:22 As part of the experience in the field, I'd say I had the opportunity
  • 05:25 of working across multiple countries in South Asia.
  • 05:27 So Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and when I was in Beijing
  • 05:32 I ended up traveling to a large part of China, and through the last five years,
  • 05:37 as a young professional here based in DC,
  • 05:40 Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, you know, the works.
  • 05:44 So I've had the opportunity of traveling a lot
  • 05:46 and I would say that's been one of the best parts of my job
  • 05:50 in terms of, you know, meeting local managements, companies,
  • 05:53 understanding cultures.
  • 05:56 Now owing to the use of a prosthetic limb,
  • 05:59 specifically the leg, strenuous travel can be a challenge for me.
  • 06:03 And one thing that enables me to travel well
  • 06:07 is how understanding my colleagues and supervisors have been,
  • 06:11 in terms of any budgeting when we are planning travel,
  • 06:15 there is usually an accommodation of a gap day, if I seek one,
  • 06:19 and things around that.
  • 06:20 Also when it comes to travel,
  • 06:22 given, at the World Bank Group, we are able to travel business class for the large part.
  • 06:28 I have found that to be fairly accommodative in the sense of travel for me
  • 06:35 and I have always been able to perform
  • 06:37 on our colleagues who have no disabilities in that context...
  • 06:43 physically in terms of prosthetic limbs.
  • 06:46 So, in a nutshell I think, the travel, and, you know, the colleagues
  • 06:51 make working in the field offices an absolute pleasure.
  • 06:56 - Well, thanks for sharing that with us Karthik
  • 06:59 and we're so happy to have you here with us today.
  • 07:02 And finally, I want to turn to Özgül.
  • 07:04 Now, Özgül you joined the World Bank Group
  • 07:06 through the Young Professionals Program in 2019.
  • 07:09 So tell us more about that process and how it was like for you?
  • 07:16 Oh, and Özgül can you just unmute yourself please?
  • 07:20 - All right, do you hear me better now?
  • 07:22 - Yes. - Okay thank you very much first of all for the opportunity to share my experiences.
  • 07:27 I know that there can be many that can relate to
  • 07:29 [ÖZGÜL CALICIOGLU] and I'm happy to also take the conversation offline.
  • 07:33 [ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER, WORLD BANK] Again, that being said, my name is Özgül, I am a Turkish national.
  • 07:37 I grew up in Turkey mostly and partly in Russia
  • 07:40 and I am an environmental engineer.
  • 07:44 So in this is actually a good question for me,
  • 07:48 because the Young Professionals Program is actually...
  • 07:51 it's known that it has a very structured
  • 07:54 selection process.
  • 07:56 And, in my case, I really needed some modifications in that
  • 08:01 because I have low vision, I'm legally blind,
  • 08:04 and depending on the elements of the interview,
  • 08:07 sometimes I can need bigger text, or a large monitor or screen reader.
  • 08:14 So I basically decided to disclose right away.
  • 08:17 I just wrote that I had a disability on the application form online
  • 08:21 and then I was selected for the interview,
  • 08:23 I also had the chance to go back and forth
  • 08:25 with the recruitment team and to make sure
  • 08:28 that all the accessibility needs were going to be met.
  • 08:31 And this was also, of course, a fine tuned discussion,
  • 08:35 because you also don't want to get excess of information
  • 08:38 about the interview because you also want it to be fair
  • 08:41 for the other candidates, but after all, and eventually,
  • 08:45 all of the disability accommodation needs were met
  • 08:49 and the assessment center was very accessible and I passed the interview.
  • 08:54 And even after that, and during relocation and onboarding,
  • 08:59 the recruitment team was very practical, very approachable
  • 09:02 to make sure that all of the accessibility needs were met.
  • 09:09 - I'm happy to hear that Özgül, and thanks for being here with us today.
  • 09:12 Folks, if you're just joining us,
  • 09:14 you're watching Behind the Mission where today I'm speaking
  • 09:17 with Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo who is our global disability advisor at the World Bank Group,
  • 09:22 Karthik Tiruvarur, an investment officer with the International Finance Corporation,
  • 09:27 and Özgül Colicioglu,
  • 09:28 an environmental engineer at the World Bank Group
  • 09:31 who was a part of the 2019 cohort for the Young Professionals Program.
  • 09:35 Now, ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, on December 3rd,
  • 09:39 we're talking about the importance of disability and inclusion in the workplace.
  • 09:43 Now we've had a question come up from our online audience
  • 09:46 that I'd like to pose here now.
  • 09:48 And it's that oftentimes a question that comes up in an interview
  • 09:52 is wanting to know "how will you accommodate my disability?"
  • 09:56 Charlotte, I'd like to turn to you here.
  • 09:57 Can you share with us your experience
  • 10:00 as to how the World Bank Group has worked with you
  • 10:02 to ensure that your needs are met?
  • 10:05 [CHARLOTTE MCCLAIN-NHLAPO] - Sure, so, you know, I will say I use a wheelchair
  • 10:09 [GLOBAL DISABILITY ADVISOR, WORLD BANK GROUP] and I think that one of the ways in which my needs were met
  • 10:13 was that I needed to have a desk that was slightly higher
  • 10:17 so that I could roll under my desk.
  • 10:20 And that was really pretty effortless.
  • 10:21 We were able to go through the disability accommodations fund at the bank,
  • 10:26 put in applications to enable me to have this desk.
  • 10:30 And soon after it was, it was purchased and I had it.
  • 10:35 So there are all those types of tweaks that need to happen
  • 10:38 and those usually happen pretty quickly.
  • 10:42 I think it's really important
  • 10:43 that, when a person with a disability joins the institution,
  • 10:47 that the person is very explicit about his/her/their needs.
  • 10:52 This is very important for the person to say
  • 10:55 this is what I need, because you cannot make any assumptions
  • 10:58 that your manager or the person you're reporting to knows what your needs are.
  • 11:05 I think the other point to just point out here
  • 11:07 is that there's, you also shouldn't be ashamed
  • 11:11 of what your needs are or afraid to articulate them.
  • 11:15 And that's really important to be able to get past that,
  • 11:18 and recognize that you have a right to this.
  • 11:24 - Wonderful, and I mean, Charlotte, let's dive into this a bit further,
  • 11:27 because, in 2018, the World Bank Group
  • 11:29 signed up to 10 commitments which included an undertaking
  • 11:33 to promote disability inclusion in client projects
  • 11:36 with a specific goal to hire more people with disabilities.
  • 11:40 How far have we come with that?
  • 11:42 - So thanks for asking that question, Sri.
  • 11:44 So, I mean, I think I should just start off by saying
  • 11:47 [CHARLOTTE MCCLAIN-NHLAPO] that these 10 commitments were made
  • 11:49 [GLOBAL DISABILITY ADVISOR, WORLD BANK GROUP] at the global disability summit in London two years ago.
  • 11:53 And the commitment was to increase the number of staff
  • 11:58 with disabilities in the World Bank.
  • 12:00 And the idea here was that, yes it's great that we're looking
  • 12:03 at making our projects more disability inclusive,
  • 12:06 but we really need to walk the talk,
  • 12:08 and, therefore, we need to think about what we're doing in in-house.
  • 12:11 So, many of you have already mentioned the World Bank's Young Professionals Program
  • 12:17 and it has made significant strides
  • 12:19 in ensuring the recruitment process is inclusive
  • 12:22 of full staff with disabilities and it's looked at not just hiring,
  • 12:26 but onboarding and beyond.
  • 12:29 And, as you can see, we have a cohort with us here today.
  • 12:33 What's also been important about this process around the YP Program,
  • 12:37 is that they built in an ongoing feedback loop.
  • 12:40 So we're constantly looking at ways to enhance this process
  • 12:45 and, again, focusing on outreach, recruitment and onboarding.
  • 12:49 And I'll just say, what's been very important in this regard
  • 12:52 is to partner with other universities.
  • 12:55 For example, the University of Johannesburg.
  • 12:58 We've also had partnerships with University of Gallaudet
  • 13:02 and other groups like Mobility International and the Federation of the Blind.
  • 13:07 Finally, I need to say that what we're seeing
  • 13:10 is that it's important to have these pieces in place,
  • 13:14 programs that are inclusive, but there is a need for training internally.
  • 13:19 And, in this regard, the disability and inclusion team
  • 13:22 has completed a filming of a virtual reality training
  • 13:26 called "Picture Yourself Included - Disability Inclusion",
  • 13:30 and this training is being rolled out shortly.
  • 13:33 And, then finally, I'll just say that this event today
  • 13:36 is exactly one of the indications that the bank really is interested
  • 13:41 in attracting staff with disabilities into its fold.
  • 13:47 - Absolutely, Charlotte.
  • 13:48 I'm so glad we're having this conversation right now.
  • 13:51 You know, guys, this next question is really for all of you.
  • 13:55 It can be intimidating to talk about having a disability
  • 13:58 when applying for a job for a number of reasons, right?
  • 14:01 There's the fear of being seen as less capable, of it being too time consuming
  • 14:05 or even too expensive to make the necessary accommodations.
  • 14:08 And, of course, there's also the fear
  • 14:10 of how you'll be treated in the workplace once you begin.
  • 14:14 So what I would like to know is what is your response to that fear
  • 14:18 and Özgül I'd like to start with you on this one.
  • 14:23 - Yeah, sure thanks for this question.
  • 14:25 I know how intimidating it can be and, to be honest,
  • 14:32 I also feel like it's good to also try to overcome these fears
  • 14:36 mainly because of two reasons.
  • 14:40 [ÖZGÜL CALICIOGLU] So the first reason is out of dignity and self-respect.
  • 14:44 [ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER, WORLD BANK] Personally, I'd rather work for a company,
  • 14:47 or an organization, which actually lets me bring in value.
  • 14:52 So which is going to be having more time and interest
  • 14:58 and resources for inclusion,
  • 15:00 so that I can truly bring in my competencies and skillsets.
  • 15:04 So if a company is not there to provide this environment,
  • 15:08 maybe it's even better to learn this sooner than later.
  • 15:13 And the second point is mostly about more disability education that's right.
  • 15:20 Unfortunately, in the workforce,
  • 15:23 the representation of the disabled people is not as high.
  • 15:26 So, I mean, as much as the people with disabilities have their,
  • 15:31 fears, their coworkers or the visitors have their own as well.
  • 15:36 And this is not necessarily a fear of disability,
  • 15:41 but it's more a fear of unknown, in some cases,
  • 15:44 and this is a natural human behavior.
  • 15:47 So I take this opportunity as a disability education moment,
  • 15:52 so that, you know we can really open up the space,
  • 15:54 we can address each other's fears and actually communicate and find solutions,
  • 15:59 and basically prove that it's actually not as scary.
  • 16:02 Accomodations are oftentimes very easy.
  • 16:05 And this is, I think, kind of this proof that I need that communicating openly
  • 16:11 has more benefits than negative points.
  • 16:15 Thanks.
  • 16:17 - Yeah, it's true, that awareness is very crucial.
  • 16:20 Thank you, Özgül.
  • 16:21 Oh, Charlotte, I'd like to turn to you now, what is your response to fear?
  • 16:27 - So my response is that I guess it can be fearful,
  • 16:33 but it really doesn't have to be nor should it be.
  • 16:36 And, in many ways, I think this points to the need
  • 16:39 for changing of mindsets and attitudes,
  • 16:42 if we're really serious about being inclusive.
  • 16:45 But I think unfortunately what we still see
  • 16:48 is that there is a sense amongst some staff
  • 16:51 that they are unable or uncomfortable in disclosing their disability.
  • 16:57 And this is particularly the case
  • 17:00 when the disability is an invisible disability
  • 17:03 or they feel intimidated to ask for reasonable accommodations,
  • 17:07 and this is still widespread.
  • 17:10 And we know that this does not lend itself
  • 17:13 to having an inclusive work environment.
  • 17:15 So I would say that the responsibility
  • 17:18 should really not lie with the person with a disability
  • 17:20 to dispel the fear and stigma that others have towards them,
  • 17:25 or really it's not the responsibility
  • 17:28 for the person with disability to make the case
  • 17:31 for why they need accommodations, right?
  • 17:35 So I would argue that the responsibility is really that of the hiring manager,
  • 17:40 for him/her to be a lot more aware, to take the necessary tradings
  • 17:47 and address, you know, maybe unconscious or conscious bias
  • 17:51 that they may have, to certainly familiarize themselves
  • 17:56 with institutional supports I mentioned earlier on,
  • 17:59 the disability accommodation fund that the bank has in place.
  • 18:02 And to then really speak
  • 18:04 to the person with disabilities and ask them
  • 18:06 and learn about what, what their specific needs are.
  • 18:10 And so I think this is really important,
  • 18:12 because if we don't do that, we run the risk
  • 18:15 of having the person with the disability prejudged
  • 18:20 in terms of their ability or to really start looking
  • 18:24 at what the costs could be for that and the question should be
  • 18:28 ask the person with the disability what they require.
  • 18:33 As I mentioned, sometimes the cost is a once off cost,
  • 18:37 it might be a recurring cost, but that should never be the determining factor
  • 18:42 for hiring a person who's qualified to do the job.
  • 18:49 - Absolutely, Charlotte, thank you for that.
  • 18:51 And, Karthik, finally, let me turn over to you.
  • 18:54 What are your thoughts on this?
  • 18:58 - I think great points were made by my panelists there, Sri,
  • 19:01 the only point that I had to, you know, that have already been made,
  • 19:04 [KARTHIK TIRUVARUR - DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES] is an interview tends to be an organic conversation
  • 19:08 [INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION] and I recollect one of my conversations while, you know,
  • 19:13 I was getting interviewed for my role at IFC,
  • 19:15 where I did, you know, specify what my disability was
  • 19:21 and, you know talk to the manager around what necessary,
  • 19:24 you know, accommodations would have to be made.
  • 19:27 And that candid conversation actually opened up doors
  • 19:31 to, you know, the interviewer
  • 19:32 actually sharing one of their temporary disability
  • 19:35 in terms of, you know, a back issue that they were going through.
  • 19:38 And we spent a good five, six minutes
  • 19:41 in that 30 minute interview, I remember, speaking about,
  • 19:44 you know, her own experiences, right?
  • 19:46 And, so it did end up forming a really organic bond between,
  • 19:53 you know the interviewer and me at that point.
  • 19:55 And also the other thing I would add is,
  • 19:57 you know, my role entails scoping investments
  • 20:02 and presenting that to, you know, the management
  • 20:05 and one of the key elements of that is talking about both the positives,
  • 20:10 but also the risks and, you know, what challenges exist.
  • 20:13 And while it might seem intimidating and, you know,
  • 20:17 there is a lot of fear about, you know, talking about disabilities,
  • 20:21 I think one who thrives in an organizations like the World Bank Group
  • 20:25 is one that's able to articulate both these equally well.
  • 20:28 And the fear is mostly in the mind
  • 20:30 I would say now having looked back at my journey
  • 20:32 at the World Bank Group for about six years, it was exactly the way, you know,
  • 20:36 the interviewer explained it to me in terms of,
  • 20:39 you know, how things would be when I'm here.
  • 20:41 So it's in the mind, I would say.
  • 20:45 - Great, thank you, Charlotte, Karthik, Özgül,
  • 20:48 for sharing with us your thoughts on that.
  • 20:50 And before we get to the last couple of questions,
  • 20:53 I actually want to take a few moments here
  • 20:54 to get your reaction to some common myths
  • 20:57 around working at the World Bank Group, as it relates to, you know this topic
  • 21:01 that we're talking about today.
  • 21:03 You can react to any of these but tell me what you think.
  • 21:07 The first myth is that it's very difficult for persons with disabilities
  • 21:11 to find opportunities to work in the field, true or false?
  • 21:18 And to Karthik maybe I'll turn to you on this one,
  • 21:21 [MYTHBUSTER #1] what are your thoughts on this?
  • 21:24 [IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES] - Sri you know, just as had mentioned
  • 21:27 [TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK IN THE FIELD] worked in the IFC Delhi office and Beijing office,
  • 21:30 one thing that stood out to me is that, you know,
  • 21:33 this is what Charlotte alluded to, as the World Bank Group,
  • 21:36 we do have policies and procedures in place when we look at office locations,
  • 21:41 when we look at travel policies,
  • 21:45 and so I do believe that there is a common thread
  • 21:47 that runs across our local offices and our headquarters
  • 21:51 and equally so managers and staff that I have spoken to
  • 21:57 I do believe have a very, you know,
  • 22:00 nuanced understanding of the inclusion and diversity aspects
  • 22:05 of what the role entails.
  • 22:07 And so, from that perspective, I do feel that,
  • 22:10 while I was either in South Asia or East Asia, in Beijing,
  • 22:14 or am here in DC, I've had all the possible,
  • 22:22 you know, aspects taken care of
  • 22:24 and all the accommodations have been handled in a similar way.
  • 22:29 And so I would say that that myth of finding local offices
  • 22:34 to be more challenging, actually not quite true.
  • 22:38 - Great Karthik, thank you.
  • 22:40 The second myth is that mental illness
  • 22:43 ´MYTHBUSTER #2] is not considered a disability.
  • 22:46 [MENTAL ILLNESS IS NOT CONSIDERED A DISABILTY] Is that true or false?
  • 22:48 Who would like to take that one? Perhaps, Charlotte?
  • 22:52 What are your thoughts on this myth?
  • 22:54 So happy to take that one, Sri.
  • 22:57 It's a myth so it's not true.
  • 23:00 So I think, you know, mental illness is increasingly defined as a disability.
  • 23:06 I think what's important about thinking about the definition of disability
  • 23:09 is that it really is an expansive spectrum
  • 23:14 and within that, as I mentioned earlier on,
  • 23:17 you have people who have invisible disabilities
  • 23:20 and often mental health issues may not be the first thing
  • 23:24 that you notice about an individual,
  • 23:27 but we need to think about mental illness
  • 23:31 as part of the broader understanding of disability.
  • 23:35 And I think that then would enable us
  • 23:38 to really develop support and accommodations
  • 23:43 for people who have episodic mental health crises
  • 23:48 and this really is... it's a great way to make the workplace more inclusive,
  • 23:53 to think about how mental illness forms part of disability
  • 23:58 and how it can be addressed more broadly.
  • 24:02 - Absolutely, thank you, Charlotte.
  • 24:03 [MYTHBUSTER #3] And for our final myth here there are no disability accommodations
  • 24:08 [THERE ARE NO DISABILITY ACCOMODATIONS] in World Bank Group offices.
  • 24:10 [IN THE WORLD BANK GROUP OFFICES] Özgül, how about I turn this over to you?
  • 24:14 - Yeah, sure.
  • 24:15 Actually I'm giving a direct example of qualification of business,
  • 24:23 because even before... starting from the very beginning
  • 24:29 of the recruitment process and beyond, I've always had accommodations.
  • 24:34 So it's all about, you know,
  • 24:36 really sharing what you need and World Bank is a place
  • 24:41 that really asks about those proactively.
  • 24:46 So as long as, you know, you just identify yourself
  • 24:51 and then you ask for certain accommodations, as Charlotte also mentioned,
  • 24:56 there's even a disability accommodation fund.
  • 24:59 And for example, I use that fund to get a sit stand desk
  • 25:04 and the larger monitor and even, really, the managers are very proactive.
  • 25:11 My COVID home office is also very accessible.
  • 25:15 They even took initiative
  • 25:17 beyond what's really in the policies according to this,
  • 25:22 because this is a very special circumstance.
  • 25:25 So definitely the mindset and also the resources
  • 25:28 are there for disability accommodations.
  • 25:36 - So, Özgül, Charlotte, Karthik, you know,
  • 25:39 thanks for taking the time to dispel some of these myths.
  • 25:42 I know, I think it's really important
  • 25:43 as we talk about diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
  • 25:47 And, you know, as we head to the end of the program,
  • 25:50 Charlotte, the World Bank Group is actively recruiting people with disabilities.
  • 25:55 So what support does a bank provide for staff with disabilities?
  • 25:59 And especially now, when many of us are having to work remotely.
  • 26:04 - So great question, I think, like Ozgul said,
  • 26:08 you know, the support has been really very good,
  • 26:12 but, then, I think, you know, for a lot of people with disabilities,
  • 26:15 [CHARLOTTE MCCLAIN-NHLAPO] they have their home environments that they've already made accessible,
  • 26:20 [GLOBAL DISABILITY ADVISOR, WORLD BANK GROUP] so supports are not necessarily needed.
  • 26:24 So in my case, for instance, I'm quite comfortable at home,
  • 26:27 I haven't had to have any additional supports,
  • 26:29 because my home has been adjusted to me and me using a wheelchair.
  • 26:36 But I do think that it's really important, again,
  • 26:39 to be able to be upfront with your manager and talk about what your needs are
  • 26:45 because nobody can guess what you're thinking,
  • 26:49 and, so, having that candid conversation is very important.
  • 26:53 And I just wanted to pick up on a point
  • 26:55 around mental illness and mental health more broadly,
  • 26:58 because I think that, you know, given the COVID-19 pandemic,
  • 27:02 and the fact that many people are at home, the issues around mental health
  • 27:06 are really going to escalate.
  • 27:10 And so we need to start thinking about how we address this
  • 27:13 and how we provide the accommodations to ensure that we are inclusive.
  • 27:21 - Great, thank you for that, Charlotte.
  • 27:23 And, you know, guys, now for this final question here,
  • 27:26 I would love to know what is your one takeaway
  • 27:29 for persons with disabilities that are looking to work here
  • 27:33 at the World Bank Group?
  • 27:34 Karthik, let me start with you.
  • 27:40 - Sri, I guess the way I have approached my job
  • 27:43 is, you know, I, I think of bringing my whole self
  • 27:46 to the workplace and not just my technical skills
  • 27:50 and let me tell you more, right?
  • 27:53 What stands out to me the most about the World Bank Group
  • 27:56 compared to, you know, some of the other work places where I've worked before,
  • 27:59 is that we are a truly diverse set of people, right?
  • 28:03 People from different countries, people who speak multiple languages,
  • 28:07 who've had very different carrier paths.
  • 28:10 And so when I'm on a team, it's very usual that,
  • 28:14 you know, there's probably not more than two people
  • 28:17 who are from a similar context, right?
  • 28:19 Be it country, or, you know speaking a language
  • 28:21 or have similar industries as well.
  • 28:23 And what that brings is a very, you know robust methodology of problem solving
  • 28:29 and thinking about, you know, hard challenges
  • 28:32 which we are trying to solve here at the World Bank Group.
  • 28:34 And so as I think of myself, you know
  • 28:38 that there's four different languages I speak,
  • 28:41 there are multiple countries I represent, disability is one element of it.
  • 28:45 And, you know, I do end up bringing that aspect to the workplace as well.
  • 28:49 And so, one recommendation I would have for whoever's,
  • 28:52 you know, thinking of the World Bank Group
  • 28:54 and who's live on this chat is to bring their whole self,
  • 28:56 you know, to the institution and this is one institution
  • 28:59 that leverages multiple cultures and multiple talents really well.
  • 29:05 - Thank you, Karthik. Bring your whole self, that's great advice.
  • 29:08 Özgül, let me now turn over to you, what is your advice?
  • 29:13 - Okay, so I think I'll echo Karthik a little bit here
  • 29:16 and say that the workplace is very, very diverse
  • 29:20 and it's really trying to get more and more inclusive every day.
  • 29:24 And that's what I also see even since I started at the bank
  • 29:27 there has been some improvements.
  • 29:29 And I just want to kind of, you know, allude on the twin goals of the bank,
  • 29:35 which is eliminating poverty and boosting shared prosperity.
  • 29:39 And this is all about equal opportunities worldwide,
  • 29:43 and it's really reflected to the workplace too.
  • 29:45 So I would just say that there's no need to be intimidated
  • 29:51 and it's definitely a place that I feel represented,
  • 29:56 as Karthik was saying, that fits all aspects of my personality and my individuality.
  • 30:02 And, really, it's great to use all of these things
  • 30:07 that you have and, you know, it's like, you don't think out of the box,
  • 30:13 but live outside the box as person with a disability,
  • 30:16 because it really makes you think in different ways to come up with solutions.
  • 30:20 And I think the World Bank is a place
  • 30:23 that you can make good use of these positive skills.
  • 30:29 - It certainly is, thank you, Özgül.
  • 30:32 And finally, Charlotte, what is your one takeaway?
  • 30:36 - Not to repeat my colleagues, I totally agree with them,
  • 30:39 but I would just say it is gratifying.
  • 30:43 So I would really encourage people
  • 30:45 who really want to see issues around addressing poverty and boosting shared prosperity
  • 30:51 to apply and to join.
  • 30:54 It's really a great place to work.
  • 30:57 - It really is and, you know, on that note,
  • 30:59 Charlotte, Karthik, Özgül, it's been, you know, a really inspiring conversation,
  • 31:03 it's been great speaking with you and learning more
  • 31:06 from you and about you, so I want to thank you again so much
  • 31:09 for joining me here today on Behind the Mission.
  • 31:12 And, you know, a big thanks to you, our online audience,
  • 31:16 for joining us here today.
  • 31:17 You know, we hope our conversation has inspired you
  • 31:20 and also just giving you more insight
  • 31:22 into working with us here at the World Bank Group.
  • 31:25 Now, do remember that the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  • 31:29 is coming up on December 3rd, that's this Thursday,
  • 31:32 and we'll actually be having a virtual job fair
  • 31:34 where we hope you'll connect with us and learn more
  • 31:37 about the opportunities to join us here at the World Bank Group.
  • 31:40 We'll be sharing the invitation to that event on our LinkedIn channel here,
  • 31:44 so do keep an eye out for it.
  • 31:46 In the meantime you can always follow the conversation online
  • 31:49 using the #behindthemissionWBG.
  • 31:52 and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
  • 31:55 Thanks again for joining us here today.
  • 31:57 I'm Srimadhi Sridhar and I'll see you next time, bye-bye.
  • 32:02 [UPBEAT MUSIC]
  • 32:04 [THE WORLD BANK GROUP - BEHIND THE MISSION]
  • 32:07 [DISABILITIES INCLUSIONS AT THE WORLD BANK GROUP]
  • 32:19 [THE WORLD BANK GROUP - BEHIND THE MISSION]
Read the chat
Anne Marie Ortega y Milanesi

Very powerful your comments
Tue, 03/09/2021 - 11:27
Mmesoma

What opportunities are available for people above 32?
Tue, 03/09/2021 - 11:27
Monica Oldham

The WBG has individuals from literally thousands of colleges and universities around the world.
Tue, 03/09/2021 - 11:32
David Clothier

Great question, Samantha! Culture has lead to many misunderstandings
Tue, 03/09/2021 - 11:42