Participation of people with disability in the labour force - the future of work

As the world advances towards the ‘Future of Work’, it is important to pay attention to the present realities, challenges and immense scope that exists for people with disabilities.

To guarantee that individuals with disabilities enjoy the right to equality, a life with dignity, and respect for their integrity on par with others, the promotion of "decent work for all" aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 8, fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

India has also ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act passed by the Indian parliament in 2007, which promotes employment safeguards for people with disabilities. However, the statistics indicate that labour market inclusion of people with disability needs a serious prioritisation as the poverty disability gap and the inequity for the disabled people continues to rise.

India has 2.68 crore PwDs, of which 1.5 crore are male and 1.18 crore are female (MoSPI 2016). As per a recent report, among approximately three crore people with disabilities, around 1.3 crore are deemed employable. The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in India stands at 23.8%, as indicated by the NSS 76th Round report. While the LFPR for the male population is touted to be 36%, it stands at 7% for the female population. This means around 80 percent of people with disabilities, who may be eligible to join the workforce, are unemployed, and the disparity is larger in the case of women with disabilities.

The DEI agenda and lack of disability inclusion

Numerous studies and reports affirm the significance of diversity in businesses and workplaces. However, it is crucial to delve deeper into the concept of diversity. Diversity is more than race and gender.

According to the World Economic Forum, approximately 1.3 billion people in the world live with a visible or non-visible disability. Comprising approximately 17% of the global population, individuals with disabilities represent the largest minority group on a global scale. Despite the significance of this demographic, disability inclusion often falls at the end of a long list of other diversity, equity and inclusion priorities.

Importance of data

In the past decade, there have been discussions about the inclusion of people with disabilities within the development space, but there has been limited focus on providing evidence for action and results. Strong data highlighting the issues, gaps and needs for people with disabilities can help address the problem of inaction at the practice and policy levels.

Data and evidence can potentially enhance investments and accountability nationally and globally. While working on generating evidence and building on data it is important to note that disability is not homogeneous.

There are various types of disabilities, including sensory, physical, mental, intellectual and learning disabilities. The disability may have been present from birth or acquired at any point throughout their lives. Different disability types concur with different likelihoods of work exclusion. The data needs to address the gaps related to intersections between disability, gender, race and poverty. The requirements of a person with a locomotor disability are different from someone with a sensory impairment. Similarly, the lived experience of a woman with a disability is very different from a man with a disability, even within the same physical environment.

Cost of inaction

As per the World Economic Forum, there is a strong business case for strengthening the inclusion of people with disabilities. The cost of excluding people with disabilities represents up to 7% of GDP in some countries. With 28% higher revenue, 30% higher profit margins, and strong next-generation talent acquisition and retention, a disability-inclusive business strategy promises a significant return on investment.

Apart from the economic costs of exclusion of people with disabilities from work, the inaction takes away their right to work with respect and dignity.

Role of the private sector beyond compliance

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017, India brings the private sector into its ambit by providing a statutory framework to ensure equal opportunities are provided to persons with disabilities in all organisations. Apart from fulfilling the responsibilities and duties under the law which include equal opportunity policy, compliance with accessibility norms, ensuring prevention and response to discrimination etc. the private sector has a larger role to play. It starts from educating ourselves to following a systems approach to ensuring accountability, inclusion and investments to increase the opportunities, participation and growth of people with disabilities in the world of work.

Power of Diversity in Voices

Last but not least, we need to strengthen the power of diversity by amplifying the voices of people with disabilities themselves. More representation of people with disabilities across various intersectionalities (gender, race, age etc.) needs to be in decision-making processes that ultimately protect their rights and affect their lives. Active involvement and participation of people with disabilities at all stages–from planning and design to implementation and monitoring— is key to ensuring inclusive response.

Sources of data:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1593253

https://www.weforum.org/impact/disability-inclusion/

https://www.mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/publication_reports/Report_583_Final_0.pdf

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2017/6/compilation-amplifying-the-voices-of-women-with-disabilities