Junichi Natsume is a fully funded UN Volunteer from Japan. He serves as a Disability Inclusion Project Officer with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Thailand. In this role, he leads a project dedicated to improving employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Globally, persons with disabilities comprise 16 percent of the world’s population, approximately 1.3 billion people. In Asia and the Pacific, more than 750 million persons with disabilities often face unequal access to a range of rights, opportunities, and social services.
Junichi has promoted disability-inclusive development through his volunteer assignment since late 2023. He leads the Disability-Inclusive Employment project at ESCAP, which focuses on enhancing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. This initiative aligns with the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy and ESCAP’s Disability Inclusion Policy and Plan. A range of challenges are faced by persons with disabilities, such as transport, employment, education, social protection, and health care, this where ESCAP is committed to making its mark. Since 1993, it has promoted disability inclusion in the world to advance the rights of persons with disabilities, raise public awareness, and strengthen internal practices in disability inclusion.
In his role, Junichi interacts with the Organizations of Persons with Disabilities at the regional and national levels, universities, and various entities across Asia and the Pacific. He produced outreach materials including a video and articles focusing on representation and invisible disabilities. His collaborative efforts extended beyond the organization, reaching from UNDP Thailand to 19 private-sector hospitals and clinics across the country
Junichi established baseline data on disability through ESCAP's first survey on disability inclusion. The survey revealed that five percent of the population were persons with disabilities. However, this percentage rose significantly to 17 percent when respondents were asked if they experienced any difficulties. This data underscores the importance of raising awareness about inclusion, especially for individuals with invisible and psychosocial disabilities.
I collaborate with colleagues who have physical, invisible, and psychosocial disabilities. We are committed to fostering a more diverse workplace by integrating more persons with disabilities as a natural part of our workforce through the ESCAP Disability Inclusion Policy and Implementation Plan.” Junichi Natsume, UN Volunteer Disability Inclusion Project Officer.
In 2024, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) fully funded some 30 Japanese UN Volunteers to serve in peace and development initiatives around the world, Junichi is one of them.
Junichi Natsume (third from left) fully funded UN Volunteer from Japan at an ESCAP Health and Well-being Fair. © UNV, 2024