Executive Summary

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that persons with disabilities constitute 10 per cent of the world’s population, with significant variations both within and among countries depending on differences in the definition of disability. In more developed countries, demographic ageing and improved data collection methods could yield higher rates for the prevalence of disability. However, even when exact numbers are difficult to find, it is generally agreed that there are more persons with disabilities in developing countries owing to communicable and chronic diseases, birth defects, warfare and injuries, most of which can be avoided through appropriate prevention and alleviation mechanisms. 

Disability has long been at the forefront of the global development agenda, as an issue cutting across economic growth, social equity and social development. Fuelled by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other related instruments, disability issues gain more weight in the international race to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. Failing to include persons with disabilities in every aspect of public life is likely to translate into a failure in achieving MDGs. In parallel, there is a growing concern that the exclusion of people with disabilities from the labour market has a pivotal price, namely, that marginalizing persons with disabilities raises the costs borne by public welfare systems. On the other hand, it can lead to an opportunity cost for the caregiver who would otherwise be working, thereby increasing poverty risk, worsening disability outcome and causing a life-long vicious circle of poverty, disability and exclusion.

Across the world, countries are acknowledging these linkages and are gradually reviewing laws, policies and programmes with a view towards integrating individuals with disabilities into all aspects of social and economic development, and towards increasing their access to services. However, despite numerous initiatives, persons with disabilities continue to face several hurdles in accessing education, vocational training and work opportunities. In the ESCWA region, the challenges include, among others, poverty, social stigma, lack of knowledge regarding personal rights, poor social protection systems and weak regulatory frameworks aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. Nevertheless, the most important challenge that faces persons with disabilities in the region is the recognition of disability itself. The majority of ESCWA member countries tend to maintain a medical approach in dealing with disability rather than one based on human rights; and policies are still founded on the principles of rehabilitation and prevention rather than on social integration and equity.

Against this backdrop, this working paper reviews international and regional policies and practices aimed at unlocking the economic potential of persons with disabilities and enabling them to earn a decent living. It takes stock of the contemporary knowledge on disability issues and the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in accessing job opportunities. Moreover, it canvasses good practices in promoting the employment of persons with disabilities and extracts lessons that will help the countries of the ESCWA region to mainstream disability in their national development strategies, including human resources development and labour market policies.

The paper starts by providing an overview of disability-related approaches, definitions and challenges, and points at the dearth of data on disability in the region. It then summarizes the principal instruments and international covenants that govern the equalization of rights for persons with disabilities and that promote their social integration in general and their inclusion in the labour market in particular. The paper showcases a number of international experiences that foster the economic participation of persons with disabilities, and provides a regional perspective by examining the types of measures that are implemented in ESCWA member countries aimed at offsetting the unemployment of persons with disabilities. 

Building on the review of experiences and practices, the paper infers a number of conclusions. It underscores that persons with disabilities have an economic potential that can benefit them as individuals and as contributors in their societies. It shows that developed countries have addressed the unemployment of persons with disabilities by focusing on two pillars, namely: (a) the labour market, which emphasizes the use of active labour market policies, quotas systems and anti-discriminatory laws; and (b) the social pillar, which adopts a welfare and social assistance ideology.

Conversely, the review asserts that ESCWA member countries need to exert more efforts in order to achieve an inclusive environment for persons with disabilities, let alone inclusive employment. While the majority of countries have enacted disability legislations, only one country, namely, Jordan, has a fully-fledged and operational disability strategy. In other countries, the traditional “care” approach is still dominant and the reference to the employment of persons with disabilities is often mainstreamed in the labour laws or other sectoral plans. In the same context, while all countries have endorsed the quota system, promoted rehabilitation programmes and introduced certain accessibility standards to support individuals with disabilities, enforcement actions are still absent or weak. In terms of social protection, the provisions for work-related disability are well established in all the countries of the region. However, the income of the majority of workers remains unprotected given that a large proportion of the labour force is in the informal sector, which is not covered by existing systems.

The paper stresses the need to enact laws that make discrimination against persons with disabilities a punishable act and to formulate policies that emphasize the rights-based approach and create equal opportunities.  The working paper concludes with general policy recommendations aimed at mainstreaming disability issues in national development strategies, including health, education, transport, infrastructure and social protection strategies; and proposes more specific actions in order to make labour markets more inclusive and responsive to the potentials of persons with disabilities.