Including persons with disabilities in the labour market

Arab countries have put recognized efforts in establishing policies to further the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labour market, aligning their legislations with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). These include minimum quota for public as well as private employers. Results, however, are slow to materialize as enforcement sometimes runs into inconsistencies in legislation and sector policies.

Our approach

ESCWA is working to identify policy gaps, remove barriers and work out solutions that help governments to support the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labour market. This project is carried out in three Arab countries and focuses on two main areas:

1. Enhancing the capacities of government officials, private sector employers and civil society organizations to develop evidence-based policies that facilitate better inclusion of persons with disabilities in labour markets.
2. Addressing the main factors impeding employment of persons with disabilities.

Our partners

The main partner in this project is the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The project activities will be implemented in close cooperation with the relevant stakeholders in the selected Arab countries such as the ministries of labour and social affairs, national councils for disability affairs, relevant non-governmental organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, private sector employers, national statistical offices, civil societies and academia. 

Our activities

The project is implemented through the following activities:

• Conducting policy/legislation gap assessments and preparing situation analysis reports
• Including labour market statistical modules into the national labour force surveys and providing training to national enumerators
• Analyzing programme databases (of ministries of labour and/or databases of disability card holders) with regards to employment characteristics of persons with disabilities
• Organizing regional and national training workshops
• Conducting employers survey in pilot countries to identify the factors that prevent hiring persons with disabilities and preparing analytical reports
• Preparing training materials and organizing training of trainers and end user workshops.