Disability At A Glance

Disability-inclusive employment has yet to be achieved in the Asia-Pacific region, home to 472 million working-age persons with disabilities. Employment data concerning persons with disabilities are scarce across countries in the region. Where such data do exist, persons with disabilities - especially women, youth, and rural habitants among them - are found to fare worse than those without in the labor market. Disability at a Glance 2021: The Shaping of Disability-inclusive Employment in Asia and the Pacific seeks to equip ESCAP members and associate members with updated information and insights on promoting employment for persons with disabilities in the region, through snapshots of the latest figures, trends, policy developments, and inspirational practices.

The private sector has a pivotal role to play in accelerating disability-inclusive sustainable development. Mainstreaming disability inclusion into every aspect of business presents opportunities for companies to improve workplace accessibility, strengthen performance, encourage innovation and expand to new consumer markets and untapped talent pools. Study findings have shown a positive correlation between the financial performance of companies and their status of disability inclusion, with higher sales, profit margins and shareholder returns for companies championing disability inclusion. Disability at a Glance 2023: Catalysts of Change: Disability Inclusion in Business in Asia and the Pacific provides an in-depth examination of the current business case for embracing disability inclusion. The publication has compiled data, policy developments and good practices adopted by governments, the private sector and civil society in the region. Based on the analysis of the current status and advancements, it recommends actions that Governments, businesses, and other stakeholders can undertake to advance the promotion of disability-inclusive business.

The Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012) has the objective of promoting a move from a welfare-based to a rights-based approach towards disability. This publication contains information on how particular countries or areas in the ESCAP region define disability and on data collection and analysis methods used, in line with the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific.

With the conclusion of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012, and the proclamation of the new Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022, ESCAP members and associate members and key stakeholders have a unique opportunity to accelerate action towards realizing the vision of a disability-inclusive society that protects, empowers and ensures equality for the 650 million persons with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. There is an urgent need to accurately identify persons with disabilities as well as the nature and extent of their disability and their socioeconomic characteristics. Reliable and comparable data are an essential component of a rigorous evidence base to design and implement effective policy and programme responses. This fourth edition of Disability at a Glance draws the attention of policy makers and key stakeholders involved in disability policy and program designs to the need of improving the quality of disability dat

This publication focuses on barriers to the employment of persons with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region and offers solutions to strengthen their employment prospects. It offers a regional overview of disability legislation, policies and practices, as well as relevant country-specific information with a particular emphasis on the employment of persons with disabilities. The publication discusses key employment trends shaping the experiences of persons with disabilities. It considers the major barriers that persons with disabilities face as they seek to find decent work. It explores a number of strategies used by governments and in the private sector to promote greater access to employment for persons with disabilities. Finally, it lays out a series of action points governments should consider to remove barriers.