Faces of Open Government: Agila Barzdienė and Rugilė Trumpytė

To mark the International Day for People with DisabilitiesA government is not open unless it is accessible to all, and governments are working to ensure people with disabilities are afforded equitable services and opportunities to participate. Technical spec..., we’re joined by Agila Barzdienė, Chancellor at the Office of the President of Lithuania, and Rugilė Trumpytė, Chief Executive of the Lithuanian Diversity Charter. They share how socially responsible public procurementTransparency in the procurement process can help combat corruption and waste that plagues a significant portion of public procurement budgets globally. Technical specifications: Commitments that aim t... is driving inclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... and improving accessibility for people with disabilities in Lithuania.

What is the general situation for people with disabilities in Lithuania, and how do you see the Diversity Charter contributing to meaningful change?

Rugilė: In Lithuania, we have over 140,000 working-age people with disabilities, but only one-third of them are employed. That’s a very small percentage, and Lithuania falls below the EU average. There are many reasons for this. One significant factor is the segregated educational institutions we had until recently. People haven’t been accustomed to seeing individuals with disabilities in workplaces, public spaces, or even in everyday life. 

There are also a lot of stereotypes about what people with disabilities can and cannot do, as well as misconceptions about how much effort employers need to put into adapting work environments. Often, these adjustments are minimal or even unnecessary, but there’s a perception that they require significant preparation. These misunderstandings and stereotypes create substantial barriers for people with disabilities trying to enter the laborTransparent workforce data and increased representation of workers in labor policy-making lead to policies that better protect workers’ rights and remove barriers for underrepresented groups in the ... market.

At the Lithuanian Diversity Charter, we focus on raising awareness and providing training. We assess the state of diversity and inclusion within individual organizations and track progress to see if anything changes over time. But we know that awareness and training alone aren’t enough. That’s why we’ve been piloting new approaches—testing ideas to see what works and what doesn’t.

We’re particularly interested in social experiments and innovative tools that can be integrated into our daily work, like the pilot initiative we initiated with the Open ContractingA transparent procurement process, known as open contracting, increases competition, improves public service delivery, and ensures governments better value for their money. Technical specifications: C... Partnership and the Public Procurement Office. These initiatives allow us to explore fresh methods, learn from our successes and failures, and find practical ways to promote inclusion in the workplace.

How does Lithuania’s public procurement law currently address inclusivity, particularly for people with disabilities, through its socially responsible criteria?

Rugilė: Lithuania currently spends around 13 percent of its GDP on public procurement, which is a significant amount of money. Traditionally, public procurement has been seen as a straightforward process for purchasing goods and services. However, when used strategically, it has the potential to be a powerful tool for social change.

I’m glad to see that Lithuania is starting to make this shift. A few years ago, Lithuania took a significant step by adding provisions to the public procurement law, requiring organizations to consider social criteria when evaluating bids. The goal is to promote genderOGP participating governments are bringing gender perspectives to popular policy areas, ensuring diversity in participatory processes, and specifically targeting gender gaps in policies to address gov... equality, inclusivity, and broader social impact. The public procurement office developed specific criteria to guide organizations.

One key area focuses on integrating people with disabilities. Purchasing organizations can choose criteria that encourage hiring people with disabilities. If a company wants to win a bid, it must commit to this. While this is still in the early stages, we hope to share results in about a year.

Purchasing organizations can also choose criteria that align with their goals. For example, they may select criteria to encourage hiring formerly imprisoned individuals and people with disabilities or to prioritize bidders with policies supporting work-life balance and gender pay equality. These criteria, introduced last year, are already being piloted by some organizations. 

You’re working with the Open Contracting Partnership and the Public Procurement Office on piloting these criteria. Can you share more about this collaboration and its potential impact?

Rugilė: Work-life balance policies are easier to implement, but more challenging criteria, like integrating people with disabilities, are harder for companies to commit to. There are many stereotypes about the LGBTQIA+Increasing opportunities for participation and creating accountability mechanisms for the LGBTQIA+ community in policy-making and service delivery can ensure that their voices are heard and changes ar... community and people with disabilities. That’s why, with OCP and the Public Procurement Office, we aim to pilot social criteria related to the integration of people with disabilities in the labor market.

We already have two state-owned companies ready to pilot these initiatives for the first time. They have no prior experience in this area but are eager to learn. We’re excited to work with them, as they are among the largest purchasing organizations in the country. From the beginning, we’ll be involved in drafting procurement specifications, launching the bidding process, and evaluating bids. We’ll track how many offers they receive, how many companies participate, and if companies are genuinely ready to hire people with disabilities.

Our goal is to test whether these pilots can increase competence and reduce fears or uncertainties about including social criteria. We also want to see if the companies will be more confident in continuing similar initiatives independently.

Why is protecting the rights of people with disabilities a priority for the Office of the President, and how does it align with your broader mission?

Agila: Protecting the rights of people with disabilities has been a priority for the Office of the President from the start. The President has always emphasized the need to reduce societal divisions and ensure equal rights for people with disabilities. For us it’s clear: we must practice what we preach, leading by example in the President’s office.

Five years ago, we began making changes to ensure accessibility, removing physical barriers like steps and ensuring that we accommodate various disabilities, including mobility, hearing, vision, and mental health conditions. We also adapted our communications, like making documents easy to read.

We aim to make people realize that inclusion is essential. We often ask: “Have you ever had a broken leg? How easy was it to navigate the world with a disability, even temporarily?” This helps people understand that it could be them or their loved ones facing these challenges. By encouraging people to put themselves in the shoes of others, we hope to shift perspectives.

The President was one of the first leaders in Lithuania to include a sign language interpreter at public events, signaling that people with hearing impairments are seen and heard. For us, accessibility isn’t just a design choice—it’s the new normal.

In everything we do, the focus is on the individual. While business and economics are important, they should always ensure that everyone feels valued and included in society. We want a country where all citizens, regardless of their abilities, are seen and respected.

A powerful moment for us was during the July 6th State Day celebration, when many attendees remarked on how unusual it was to see so many people with disabilities included in such a significant national event. It was a reminder that true inclusion reflects the diversity of society.

Our work is about changing the perception of disability and helping everyone feel integrated into the community.

Can you share three initiatives the President’s Office is implementing to drive inclusion in Lithuania?

Agila: One of the key priorities for the President is reducing inequalities between people with and without disabilities across all areas of life. For example, in Lithuania, Olympic and Paralympic champions receive the same financial compensation, reflecting the broader principle that everyone’s achievements are equally valued. The broader aim is to reduce inequalities in all areas of life through legislationCreating and passing legislation is one of the most effective ways of ensuring open government reforms have long-lasting effects on government practices. Technical specifications: Act of creating or r..., creating a society where everyone has equal opportunities.

Another important focus is accessibility. The Lithuanian constitution has been translated into easy-to-read language and Lithuanian sign language, making this essential document understandable for everyone. Even the President’s speeches are occasionally adapted for audiences with specific needs. This work is done in collaboration with NGOs to ensure that the final versions are truly accessible and impactful.

We’re also working on making public procurement more inclusive. Lithuania spends about €9 billion annually through public procurement, and the President wants to use this as a tool to support social inclusion. For example, when we organize events, we try to source services from companies that employ people with disabilities or those from outside the capital. This not only provides opportunities for marginalized groups but also helps break down societal barriers.