Disability and work

  • ©ILO/Nguyen A.
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. Read more

Focus on

  1. Wage employment of persons with disabilities

    The benefits of a diverse workforce which includes disabled employees are increasingly recognized by private and public companies.

  2. Workers’ associations and disability

    Trade unions have a key role to play in promoting the rights of workers with disabilities.

  3. Disability-inclusive social protection

    Social protection schemes should be made inclusive of people with disabilities and provide incentives for persons with disabilities to enter and stay in the labour market.

  4. ILO Global Business and Disability Network

    Employer-led initiative that works to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in workplaces around the world.