Promoting Decent Work for People with
Disabilities in Developing Countries
What priorities for research and action?
Barbara Murray, ILO, Geneva
University College London, 7 March 2013
International Labour Organization
• Specialized Agency of the United Nations
• Set up in 1919, over 90 years ago
• 183 Member States
• Tripartite in Structure
• Involves employer and worker representatives as well as governments
• Deals with World of Work
• vocational training, employment, occupational safety and health, social
security
• Collective bargaining
• Social partnership
• Goal: Decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity,
security
and human dignity
How many persons with disabilities
worldwide?
• Global estimate: 15% of world population has a disability
(over 1 billion people)
• Estimated prevalence rates vary widely across and within
countries
• Lack of comparability internationally – no consistent
approach to disability definitions and survey questions
• Most people with disabilities live in developing countries
(80%)
• Many live in rural areas, sometimes quite remote
• ‘If you’re not counted, you don’t count’
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People with disabilities –
diverse group
•
Mild, moderate or severe
–
–
–
–
physical disabilities
sensory disabilities
intellectual disabilities
mental health disabilities
•
Disability dating from
–
–
–
birth
childhood/teenage
adulthood
 SIGNIFICANT GENDER DIFFERENCES:
WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES OFTEN OVERLOOKED!
Access to Education
• Current situation:
– Many children and adults with disabilities - have not
attended school at all
– Enrollment rates at school - far lower among children
and adults with disabilities than non-disabled persons
– Young people with physical impairment more likely to
attend mainstream school than those with intellectual or
sensory impairments.
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Employment of Persons with Disabilities
Globally - Empirical Evidence
• At least 780 million worldwide – of working age
• Most live in developing countries – informal economy
widespread
• Reliable labour market data on people with disabilities
– Regularly collected in few countries
– Difficult to find/not available in most countries
• Common patterns:
–
–
–
–
–
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Lower employment rates than general labour force
Somewhat higher unemployment rates
Significantly lower labour force participation rates
Often in part-time, low paid work
People with certain disability types – face greater difficulties
Access to Employment – USA
• The employment rate of people with disabilities
aged 21-64
– 39.5% in 2008, compared to 79.9% of people without
disabilities.*
• Estimated 25.3% of civilian men and women aged
21-64 with a disability in the U.S., lived in families
with incomes below the poverty line, compared to
an estimated 9.6% of civilian men and women
without a disability.*
*Source: www.disabilitystatistics.org
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Access to Employment - OECD
countries (27)
• Employment situation of working age persons with disabilities in late
2000s:
–
–
–
–
–
–
44% are in employment
14% are registered as unemployed
Slightly less than half (49%) are economically inactive
Employment rate falling in many OECD countries
Employment rate of people with mental health disabilities – especially low
More likely to be in part-time, low-paid work
• Comparable figures for non-disabled Europeans
– Three quarters (75%) are in employment
– 7% are registered as unemployed
– One in five (20%): economically inactive
*Sickness, Disability and Work: Breaking the Barriers. OECD. 2010
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Informal employment in and outside the informal economy – Selected countries
Source: ILO Dept of Statistics
Women
Persons employed in the informal sector
Persons in informal employment outside the informal
sector
100.0
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
Men
Serbia
Serbia
Ukraine (3)
Ukraine (3)
Mauritius (3)
Mauritius (3)
Macedonia, FYR.
Macedonia, FYR.
Russian Fed. (3)
Russian Fed. (3)
Moldova, Rep.
Moldova, Rep.
Armenia
Armenia
Egypt (3)
Egypt (3)
Turkey (3)
Turkey (3)
South Africa
South Africa
Azerbaijan (1) (3)
Azerbaijan (1) (3)
West Bank & Gaza
Thailand (3)
Thailand (3)
Uruguay
Uruguay
Brazil
Brazil
Panama
Panama
Namibia (3)
Namibia (3)
Venezuela BR
Venezuela BR
Ethiopia (2) (3)
Ethiopia (2) (3)
Argentina
Argentina
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Kyrgyzstan (3)
Sources: Kyrgyzstan (3)
Dominican Rep.
Dominican Rep.
Zimbabwe (3) ILO,
Zimbabwe (3)
Departmen
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Mexico
t of
Mexico
Ecuador
Statistics;
Ecuador
Colombia
Colombia
Pakistan (3)
Pakistan (3)
Viet Nam
Viet Nam
Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Lesotho
Lesotho
Liberia
Liberia
Uganda
Uganda
El Salvador
El Salvador
Paraguay
Paraguay
Honduras
Honduras
Peru
Peru
Bolivia
Bolivia
Madagascar
Madagascar
Zambia
Zambia
Cote d'Ivoire (3)
Cote d'Ivoire (3)
India
India
Mali
Mali
0.0
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Greater variety in work and employment
opportunities
Social Firms
Sheltered
Employment/
Sheltered
Work
Work for
informal
businesses
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Open
Employment
Telework
Supported
Employment
Self
Employment
Community
Development
Initiatives
Poverty Rates
• Developing countries
– Data on whether having a disability increases the probability
of being poor are mixed.
– 14 household surveys in 13 developing countries found that
adults with disabilities were poorer than average households
– Study of 15 developing countries, using World Health Survey
data, found that households with disabilities experienced
higher poverty in only 5 of the countries
• People with disabilities - at greater risk of poverty
• Vicious circle between poverty and disability
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Tackling the Disability and Poverty link – not
just a question for developing countries
• USA
– Estimated 27.0% of civilian men and women with disabilities
(21-64) living below the poverty line, compared to an estimated
11.9% of those without disabilities (2010).*
• OECD countries:
– higher poverty rates among working-age people with
disabilities than among working-age people without disability in
all but 3 countries (2009)
*Source: www.disabilitystatistics.org
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Work and Employment
– New vision at
International Level
The CRPD – heralding an
inclusive society
Shift in focus
Rehabilitate Disabled Persons
Rehabilitate Society
Charity, Medical treatment
Rights
Adjustment to the norm
Acceptance of differences
Exclusion
Inclusion, participation, citizenship
Little consultation
‘Nothing about us without us’
Paradigm shift – Work and Employment
• Article 27:
− States Parties recognize the right of persons
with disabilities, to work on an equal basis with
others
• Right to opportunity to gain a living by work freely
chosen or accepted in a labour market and work
environment that is open, inclusive and accessible
− Based on Universal Declaration of Human
Rights Art 23 (Right to Work)
Work and Employment (Article 27)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Discrimination in all aspects and forms of employment prohibited.
Right to just and favourable conditions of work on equal basis with
others
Exercise of trade union rights on equal basis with others
Promotion of employment opportunities and career advancement in the
labour market, as well assistance in finding, obtaining, maintaining and
returning to employment
Opportunities for self-employment, entrepreneurship
Employment of persons with disabilities in public sector
Promotion of employment in the private sector through appropriate
measures
Reasonable accommodation in workplace
Job retention and return to work programmes
Work experience
Prohibition of slavery or servitude, protection of forced or compulsory
labour
The CRPD and the Right to Work
Shift in focus
Segregated employment
Open Labour Market
Petty trading
Small enterprises
No legal provisions
Coverage by employment laws
Limited choice
Work freely chosen or accepted
What does it take to
implement the
vision?
Improving Employability and Employment of people
with disabilities in developing countries Policy considerations
• Women and men with disabilities – very diverse group
−
−
−
−
Different levels of disability, support requirements
Different stage of disability onset
Different pathways through education and training
Diverse work history
• Twin-track approach: Disability specific provisions
combined with disability inclusion
• Access to education, adult literacy programmes
• Access to vocational training - skills relevant to labour market
• Access to entrepreneurship, enterprise development training
Central requirements for labour market inclusion
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enabling legal environment
Availability of reasonable accommodation
Access to education
Relevant vocational, business skills
Accessible workplaces, transport, information
Informed attitudes
Changed roles of key stakeholders
Improving Employment Opportunities for people
with disabilities in developing countries Policy considerations
• Formal employment
– Legal and policy requirements
•
Non-Discimination
•
Equality of Opportunity
•
Equality between men and women
• Reasonable accommodation
– Employer attitudes/company policies
– Employment services
– Incentives and Support measures
• Informal employment - formal economy
− Legal and policy requirements
Making labour markets more inclusive
through Reasonable Accommodation
• CRPD provisions on reasonable accommodation:
–
–
•
•
•
Denial is considered discrimination
Explicitly mentioned in (Articles 2, 5, 14, 24, 27).
Applies to workers who acquire a disability, and to job
seekers with disabilities
Individualised measure, accompanies an individual for
duration of impairment
Measures to promote implementation:
– Awareness raising of what is involved
– Places of employment
• Technical advice required
• Public subsidies for high cost accommodations
• Availability of relevant support services
Making societies more inclusive Affirmative Action
• Special positive measures aimed at effective
equality of opportunity and treatment between
disabled workers and other workers.
• Such measures not regarded as discrimination
against non-disabled workers.
• Specific mention in Art 27
Improving Employment Opportunities for people
with disabilities in developing countries Policy considerations
• Informal/self employment
− Access to business support services
− Access to credit
− Promotional campaigns
− Incentives to formalize
Consultation
• Involve social partners and representatives
of disabled persons in
– Reform of laws and development of new laws
– Design of implementation measures
– Campaigns to tackle stereotypes and mistaken
assumptions
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Skills development for Persons with
Disabilities
•
Training programmes
•
What approaches are in use?
•
Separate training - dedicated centres
•
Mainstream training centres, with supports
•
On-the-job training
•
Apprenticeships
•
Community-based training
•
Distance learning/learning from home
Making labour markets more inclusive
through Skills development
• Measures to improve:
–
Access to mainstream programmes
–
Standards in dedicated programmes
•
Labour market relevance
•
Occupational Standards
•
Equipment
•
Instructor Qualifications
•
Outcomes for individual disabled persons
Transforming Segregated services
What steps are involved?
• Overall system
– Policy
• shift from a ‘system- centred’ approach to a
‘person-centred’ approach.
• Enabling people with disabilities to make informed choice
(career guidance, vocational assessment)
• Training centres
– Internal organization
• Changing longstanding attitudes and habits
– Links to external partners, agencies
– Carving out a new role, building on expertise
– Staff capacity
Transforming Mainstream services
What steps are involved?
• Overall system
– Policy
• Support for inclusion of persons with disabilities
from highest level
• Provision for staff development programmes
• Encouragement of appropriate advisory services
• Encouragement of links between specialist and
mainstream agencies
• Allocation of resources
Transforming Mainstream services
What further steps are involved?
• Training centres
– Management
• Strategy: how to create inclusive system
• Resource allocation
– Management, training staff
• Induction to disability issues and requirements in
vocational education and training
– Creating an enabling environment
• Buildings and equipment
• Assistive devices and support services
• Links to agencies with expertise, for technical advice,
support
Transforming Expectations
Individuals with disabilities
• Longstanding habits
- May be reluctant to leave familiar, sheltered environment
• Self esteem, confidence
- May be poor
• Functional literacy and education gaps
- May hinder progress
• Vocational goals, aspirations
- May not be developed, no choice in past
• Parent, family network
- May not favour change
Work and Employment
Implications of Paradigm Shift
• Fundamental Changes required - including in
– Roles of
• special disability agencies, service providers
• mainstream agencies, service providers
• disability advocates
– Involvement of social partners
• Employers
• Trade unions
• Civil society
– Certain types of services and programmes
• Sheltered Employment
• Vocational training
Promoting Decent
Work for persons
with disabilities
ILO approach
• ILO Standards on Disability
• Developing Knowledge on Good Practice
• Research, Evaluation
• Publications
• Advocacy
• Policy Advice
• Meetings and seminars
• Training programmes
• Technical Cooperation Services
• Projects in many regions
ILO Standards on Disability
• Convention 159 on Vocational Rehabilitation
and Employment (Disabled Persons) 1983
• Recommendation 168, 1983
• Recommendation 99, 1955
• Code of Practice – Managing Disability in the
Workplace, 2001
•
What ILO Convention No. 159
requires
States should develop policy based on
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–
–
–
•
Equality of opportunity for disabled persons
Equality of treatment of women and men with disabilities
Promoting access to general programmes and services, alongside nondisabled persons, where possible (Mainstreaming )
Introduce special positive measures to compensate for disadvantages
Underlying convictions
–
–
Obstacles faced by disabled persons arise largely from societal barriers,
rather than solely from impairments
People with disabilities represent great potential, yet to be fully unlocked
Building capacity
• Regular courses on Labour Market Inclusion of Persons with
Disabilities at ILO International Training Centre – Turin
• On-line course on Disability Equality run regularly by ITC Turin
• Achieving Equal Employment Opportunities for People with
Disabilities through Legislation – Online Guide
http://disability-employment-legislation.itcilo.org/index.html
• Workshops, conferences at national level
• Disability Equality Training as part of other technical courses,
workshops, seminars
Technical Cooperation Projects –
relevant to persons with disabilities
• Twin track approach
• Targetted projects, focussed on women with
disabilities
• Including persons with disabilities in projects for the
general population
Targetted programmes
• Developing Entrepreneurship among women
with disabilities 2002 – 2008
• Phase 1 – Ethiopia
• Aim: economic empowerment of women with disabilities
through strategy specifically targetting this group.
• Phase 2 – Ethiopia, Kenya, the United Republic of
Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
• Aim: Closer collaboration with mainstream
entrepreneurship development programmes
The Month of the Woman
Entrepreneur
Celebrating the achievements of women in business
- 1st MOWE held in Ethiopia, 2004, with over 3000
participants
- Subsequently held also in South Africa, Tanzania,
Uganda and Zambia
- Active demonstration of capabilities of women
entrepreneurs with disabilities, alongside non-disabled
women entrepreneurs
- Now take place annually in 6 countries
2009 MOWE
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Senayet Melese is a wheel chair user. She has been self-employed in the
leather crafts business for more than two years. She is one of five recipients
of the 2009 MOWE trophy awarded to the “Best Performing Woman
Entrepreneur”.
Targetted programmes
• Alleviating Poverty through Peer Training
• Cambodia
• Aim: economic empowerment of persons with disabilities
through success case replication
• Business skills acquired through informal apprenticeships
Replicating Success – DVD
APPT Project in Cambodia
Technical Cooperation Projects
Inclusive approach - Examples
• Technical and Vocational Education and Training – Reform Project,
Bangladesh (EU funded)
• Aim: to improve the TVET system over a 5-year period.
People with disabilities included in all aspects
• Pilot training –Ready made garments
- Training upgraded in collaboration with
government and disability NGO
- 2 pilot training programmes conducted –
24 women trained; over half had disabilities (reverse integration)
- Training programme now certified, includes classroom and on job training
- Graduates employed in supply chain factory to Marks and Spencer
- Government will include disabled trainees in all pilots
Technical Cooperation Projects
Inclusive approach - Examples
• Women’s Entrepreneurship and Gender
Equality projects
– Kenya, Tanzania
• Better Work programme
• Red Cross/ILO Livelihood Recovery
Programme, Sichuan, China
• Youth Employment projects
Lessons learned
• Need for greater emphasis on vocational training
• Need for market surveys to identify business opportunities
• Need for training in sales and marketing, exhibition skills
• Inclusion in mainstream business skills training works well
for some, targeted programmes required by others, for the
moment at least
• Need to pay attention to sustainability
Working in Partnership
• Examples
• Collaboration with International Disability Alliance
• Collaboration with other UN agencies
‐ UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, World Bank
‐ Inter-agency Support Group - UN CRPD
‐ UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• ILO Global Business and Disability Network
ILO Global Business and Disability Network
•
Members
•
•
•
•
Multinational enterprises
Employers’ organizations and business networks
Selected NGOs and DPOs with international outreach
Purposes
•
•
•
•
•
Sharing knowledge and identifying good practices
Strengthening employers’ organizations at country level
Developing joint products and services
Linking to ILO projects and activities
Website: www.businessanddisability.org
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Sharing Knowledge
•
Examples
– Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices (ILO, 2010)
• Illustrates contemporary disability-related practices of
25 private enterprises relating to
– Hiring and retention
– Products and services
– Corporate social responsibility
– Disability in the Workplace: Employers’ Organizations and Business Networks (ILO,
2011)
• Illustrates contemporary disability-related practices
of 12 employers’ organizations and business networks relating to
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–
–
–
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Structure and partners
Key activities
Achievements
Lessons learned
Employment of Persons with
Disabilities
ILO practical tools and guides for
Persons with Disabilities
ILO Code of Practice on Managing
Disability in the Workplace
Videos / DVDs
DVD
Working with the media
Moving towards disability inclusion
Posters
Improving Decent Work
opportunities: What action needed?
• Strengthening the knowledge base through
further research and case studies
• Motivating policy makers and practitioners
to be disability inclusive
• Promoting good practice through technical
cooperation
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Building the knowledge base - Implications
for Future Action Research
• Examine impact and efficacy of different legislative and
enforcement approaches
• Examine the role of workplace policies and practices in
integration and retention of persons with disabilities
• Identify policies and practices of service
providers/NGOs that maximize outcomes
• Identify and disseminate good practice examples
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Motivating policy-makers and practitioners to be
disability-inclusive in employment promotion,
poverty reduction programme
• Disseminate research findings in variety of ways
• Sensitization through
• Media campaigns
• Use of social media, mobile phones
• Capacity building
• Capacity Building
• Training courses
• On-line self-applied courses
• Practical guides
• Involvement of disability advocates, disabled persons’
representatives in policy, service planning
Demonstration through technical cooperation
• All development projects to be disability-inclusive
including those focusing on
•
•
•
•
•
Poverty reduction
Educational development
Health service development
Employment promotion
Entrepreneurship development
• Involvement of social partners and disabled persons’
representatives should be a common feature
• Projects to have a strong publicity component – reach out
to media
Further reading!
– ILO Disability Publications
• www.ilo.org/disability
• www.ilo.org/inclusion
– World Report on Disability
• http://www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/en/i
ndex.html
• Global Applied Disability Research and Information
Network on Employment and Training
(GLADNET) Infobase
• http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/gladnetcollect/
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