Disability and work

People with disabilities make up an estimated one billion, or 15 per cent, of the world's population. About 80 per cent are of working age. The right of people with disabilities to decent work, however, is frequently denied. People with disabilities, particularly women with disabilities, face enormous attitudinal, physical and informational barriers to equal opportunities in the world of work. Compared to non-disabled persons, they experience higher rates of unemployment and economic inactivity and are at greater risk of insufficient social protection that is a key to reducing extreme poverty.

The ILO has a longstanding commitment to promoting social justice and achieving decent work for people with disabilities. It takes a twin-track approach to disability inclusion. One track allows for disability-specific programmes or initiatives aimed at overcoming particular disadvantages or barriers, while the other track seeks to ensure the inclusion of disabled persons in mainstream services and activities, such as skills training, employment promotion, social protection schemes and poverty reduction strategies. ILO efforts to include people with disabilities also cover the full spectrum of its activities, including its internal practices and partnerships with other UN agencies, as outlined in the ILO Disability Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan 2014-17.