ILO working paper highlights employment challenges for people with disabilities News
Henk Monster, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
ILO working paper highlights employment challenges for people with disabilities

The International Labour Organisation (ILO)  released a new working paper on Friday, finding that people with disabilities are less likely to participate in the labor market. The paper also highlights that people with disabilities tend to earn less than their non-disabled counterparts.

The paper reveals that individuals with disabilities face significant barriers to workforce participation. On average, they earn 12 percent less per hour than their non-disabled counterparts. This wage gap is especially pronounced in low and lower-middle-income countries, where it can rise as high as 26 percent. Notably, nearly half of this disparity cannot be explained by differences in education, age, or job type.

The ILO also emphasized the compounded challenges faced by women with disabilities. Women with disabilities earn, on average, six percent less than men in developed countries and five percent less in developing nations. Furthermore, the report stated that only 30 percent of people with disabilities are active in the labor market, underscoring a broader issue of inclusion. Due to limited opportunities and inadequate accommodations in traditional employment settings, many individuals with disabilities are compelled toward self-employment Discrimination in the workplace further limits their options.

To combat these disparities, the ILO recommends several measures. These include enhancing accessibility in online recruitment, providing better support for employers in hiring individuals with disabilities, and implementing adaptations to accommodate their needs.

According to an ILO database released in 2022, the unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities is consistently higher than those for non-disabled individuals, averaging 7.6 percent compared to 6.0 percent, across many countries. Barriers to employment for people with disabilities include limited access to education and training, inadequate workplace accommodations, and societal discrimination. Many individuals with disabilities also cited inadequate job counseling and transportation as significant obstacles to securing employment. Additionally, the design of disability welfare systems often restricts permitted employment, pushing many disabled individuals into informal or low-paying jobs.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is a United Nations agency that sets international labour standards, promotes social protection and decent work for all, and advocates for social dialogue between governments, employers, and workers to ensure just and equitable treatment in the workplace and society.

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