Advancing disability inclusion in the global labour market

Geneva (ILO News) - Persons with disabilities face persistent barriers in the labour market, with their participation rate 30 per cent lower than that of persons without disabilities, according to ILO research. 

Youth with disabilities are particularly disadvantaged, being twice as likely to be NEET—Not in Education, Employment, or Training—compared to their non-disabled peers. Scaling up efforts to include persons with disabilities, especially women and youth, in global initiatives is essential to achieving decent work for all.

Addressing these challenges requires urgent, coordinated action. At the Global Disability Summit (GDS2025) held on 2–3 April in Berlin, the ILO called for coordinated efforts from governments, social partners, and organizations of persons with disabilities to promote better outcomes in the labour market and ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunities to thrive in their professional lives.

Talking at the panel “Shaping inclusive labour markets and decent work for persons with disabilities worldwide”, ILO Deputy Director-General Celeste Drake said: “Ensuring that people with disabilities have access to equal opportunities and decent work doesn’t happen by accident. It requires dedicated and sustained action”.

One key initiative is the ILO Global Business and Disability Network. Engaging over 40 global companies and 45 national networks, the Network promotes decent employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, particularly in developing countries, ensuring that the rights and needs of persons with disabilities are adequately addressed.

When employed, persons with disabilities are disproportionately represented in the informal economy, where they often encounter a disability wage gap, which is particularly severe for women with disabilities. The latest ILO estimates of effective coverage show that only 33.5 per cent of people with severe disabilities worldwide receive adequate social protection, including a disability benefit. Additionally, involving persons with disabilities in social dialogue and collective bargaining is key to building inclusive labour markets.

“15 per cent for the 15 per cent”

The GDS2025 concluded with the Amman-Berlin Declaration on Global Disability Inclusion urging all stakeholders to ensure that at least 15 per cent of international development programs pursue disability inclusion as a quantifiable and achievable goal. The ILO joined other organizations in endorsing the Declaration, marking a strong commitment to disability-inclusive international development cooperation and humanitarian action. 

About the Global Disability Summit

GDS2025 was organized by the International Disability Alliance (IDA), the Government of Germany, and the Government of Jordan. The Global Disability Summit (GDS) is a unique global mechanism that improves the lives of persons with disabilities, especially from the global South. It was created in 2017 to convene global, regional, and national stakeholders that share the same goal and vision for disability inclusive development and humanitarian action.