The Diversity and Inclusion Framework outlines how Nagpur City will achieve its vision and goals to be a municipality respectful and inclusive of human difference.”
The goal of accomplishing “Unity in Diversity” needs an appreciation of the patterns of diversity at the onset besides understanding the socio-economic and political processes affecting it and apprehension of the scope of diversity leading to disparity and inequity. Then an attempt can be made to pinpoint the aspects, systems and biases responsible for that. Finally, it comes to crafting a framework of redressal. The need to develop and implement Equality Framework, respecting the diversities in Nagpur City results from diversity indices in NMC to a great extent and Nagpur city as a whole to some extent. Growing awareness of the range of human differences in the City’s population, their expectations regarding civic services and programs coupled with modern-age aspirations, engender the need to effectively implement this framework in Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).
It’s not enough to employ a workforce of individuals with varying backgrounds and views. We need to include their experiences and views when working with each other and when developing programs, services andframeworks. This is one of the ways we ensure respect and consideration of the diverse needs and perspectives of all. Inclusion and diversity go hand in hand. To facilitate an equality framework in NMC, Equi-City team has initiated a diversity survey to gauge different needs, suggestions and views which is expected to be vetted by designated Diversity Committee in NMC and the findings are expected to come out in the form of a report.
Some prerequisites
Comprehending diversity in the Indian societal backdrop is really a complicated engagement. It needs a demanding responsibility in understandingcomplex conceptual and methodological issues before proceeding to sort out atransparent and acceptable working framework. Implementing this relatively new frameworkin local body level is expected to be quite challenging as it demands a paradigm shift in the attitudes in dealing with the issues of asymmetrical approach to socio-cultural and politico-economic space in Indian context.
Informed and committed leadership as well as shared responsibility and individual accountability are essential to successful diversity and inclusion efforts. The effectiveness of the Diversity and Equality Framework depends on each employee of NMC and demands fulfilling his or her role in an effective manner. In addition to employees fulfilling their roles, it further demands sustainable long term directions from the organisation’s leadership alongside resources and support.
The Diversity Committee is envisaged to support and guide departments to provide information specific to various levels across the corporation.
This includes the roles of:
- City Council
- NMC Employees
- Senior Management Team (SMT)
- Department Management Team
- Supervisors
- Human Resources Branch
- Communications
- All departments under NMC
Diversity Survey in the City
Our ideal future City is to have a supportive and respectful workplace that attracts and retains a talented workforce which broadly identifies the citizens and communities of Nagpur City. We seek a powerful organization that works smart and is instrumental in maintaining the City’s competitive advantage.
We want an organization which leverages our diversity to create programs and services which meet the diverse needs of those we serve and enable their full inclusion in the life of their city.
The Equi-City team has completed the Diversity Survey for the Diversity Report. In total survey in all the 30 departments of the NMC was conducted and covered nearly 900 employees including HODs and other employees of NMC.
Layers of Diversity
These layers are represented below and illustrate the ways in which people, including employees, may differ from one another.
Goals of the Framework
Goal 1: Promote shared values of diversity and inclusion.
Goal 2: Improve coordination of campus diversity planning.
Goal 3: Engage the campus leadership for diversity and inclusion.
Goal 4: Improve institutional access through effective analysis of diverse staff
Goal 5: Provide a proper framework for Diversity and thereby establishing a diversity committee.
Work Undertaken to Meet the Targets
Diversity is an important aspect of Equi-City programme and we incorporate diversity considerations while taking decisions on other issues. Equi-City has also continued to carry out a range of activities aimed at embedding a culture of inclusion and removing barriers to the progression of citizens and NMC staff. This includes communications campaigns and workshops in the city to involve diverse population into
the system.
Building the Diversity Framework
The process of building the Diversity and Inclusion Framework began with a comprehensive review of research to identify current best practice in the area of diversity and inclusion. This review resulted in the identification of essential common elements for achieving sustainable diversity and inclusion practices within organizations.
Formulation of Diversity Committee & Framework enables the City to:
- Gain greater competitive advantage by increasing its vitality and resources for programs and services.
- Attract and retain talented people by supporting and involving employees and heightening their sense of purpose and commitment.
- Increase city services that respond to the diversity of citizen needs thereby increasing their willingness to support such services
- Open City to pockets of people who may otherwise feel disenfranchised and Contribute to improving the quality of life for all of us.
Way Forward
An effective approach of gradualism can be followed, through which NMC may start the diversity and equality framework by planning an incentive system linked to the objects. The extent of coverage of the framework can be increased gradually over time and all departments of NMC can be brought within therealm of intervention. Moreover, putting updiversity indices and generating awareness onthose, even without an incentive system, may help in establishing socio-political harmonyleading to apposite resolution at all levels. This is envisaged to go a long way in taking Nagpur to a scenario when the exposition of diversity becomes a situation to celebrate rather than a genesis for inequality and discrimination.
Sanitation and Hygiene Workshop
The sensitisation workshops in a couple of slums (Poojaramwadi) of Nagpur city have already been conducted and a few more are being planned to promote the awareness through Equi-City Project. The broader theme of these workshops is based upon Sanitation and Hygiene. Furthermore, the workshops envisaged to generate awareness regarding sanitation, to understand the condition of municipal services, to sensitise people about the existing situation and to identify problem areas.