Bridging the Gap: ILO Pushes for Inclusive Labour Markets for All Abilities

According to recent ILO research, persons with disabilities continue to experience profound exclusion from labour markets.

At the Global Disability Summit (GDS2025) held in Berlin on 2–3 April, the International Labour Organization (ILO) emphasized the urgent need for coordinated global action to tackle the persistent barriers persons with disabilities face in labour markets worldwide. As the world seeks to advance towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, disability inclusion remains a pressing and largely unmet challenge.

According to recent ILO research, persons with disabilities continue to experience profound exclusion from labour markets. Their labour force participation rates are, on average, 30 per cent lower than those of persons without disabilities. Youth with disabilities face even more significant challenges, being twice as likely to be classified as NEET—not in Education, Employment, or Training—compared to their non-disabled peers. This stark disparity highlights systemic inequality and the urgent need for policy reform and targeted action.

ILO’s Call for Coordinated Global Efforts

Speaking at the GDS2025 panel discussion “Shaping Inclusive Labour Markets and Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities Worldwide,” ILO Deputy Director-General Celeste Drake underscored the importance of intentional policy design. “Ensuring that people with disabilities have access to equal opportunities and decent work doesn’t happen by accident. It requires dedicated and sustained action,” Drake said.

The ILO called upon governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to step up collaborative efforts. This includes dismantling structural barriers, expanding accessible vocational training, and strengthening legal frameworks that uphold the rights of persons with disabilities in the workplace.

ILO Global Business and Disability Network: A Scalable Model for Impact

One of the ILO’s flagship initiatives in this field is the Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN). The GBDN connects more than 40 multinational companies and 45 national-level networks across the world, promoting inclusive business practices that ensure decent work opportunities for persons with disabilities, particularly in developing countries.

This initiative offers technical guidance, peer learning platforms, and access to best practices in inclusive employment. It also works closely with the private sector to challenge stigmas, advocate for workplace accommodations, and develop inclusive hiring and retention strategies.

Informal Economy and the Disability Wage Gap

While access to employment is critical, the quality of work is equally important. Even when persons with disabilities are employed, they are overrepresented in the informal economy, where social protections are limited or nonexistent. These conditions often lead to precarious employment, inconsistent income, and exploitation. The situation is particularly dire for women with disabilities, who face a significant disability wage gap compounded by gender-based discrimination.

Latest ILO estimates show that only 33.5 per cent of individuals with severe disabilities globally receive adequate social protection, such as disability benefits. The lack of access to income support, healthcare, and other essential services makes it nearly impossible for many to achieve a decent standard of living.

The Role of Social Dialogue

The ILO emphasized the importance of involving persons with disabilities in social dialogue and collective bargaining processes. Inclusive dialogue not only helps shape more equitable labour policies but also empowers persons with disabilities to be agents of change in their own right. Strengthening their participation in trade unions and employer associations is crucial to building truly inclusive and representative labour systems.

The Amman-Berlin Declaration: “15 per cent for the 15 per cent”

A major highlight of the GDS2025 summit was the endorsement of the Amman-Berlin Declaration on Global Disability Inclusion, which urges that a minimum of 15 per cent of all international development and humanitarian programs explicitly target disability inclusion. This call, dubbed “15 per cent for the 15 per cent,” refers to the estimated 15 per cent of the global population living with disabilities.

The ILO, alongside other international organizations, development agencies, and civil society partners, committed to implementing and monitoring this benchmark. The declaration serves as a rallying point for a more equitable and inclusive global development agenda and recognizes disability inclusion as a measurable and attainable goal.

Looking Ahead: Transformative Inclusion for the Future of Work

As the world navigates the evolving landscape of work—marked by digital transformation, climate change, and demographic shifts—the ILO stresses that disability inclusion must be embedded in all facets of employment policy and practice. That includes inclusive access to digital skills, flexible work arrangements, remote job opportunities, and accessible public services.

To truly achieve "decent work for all," countries must not only remove barriers but actively create enabling environments where people with disabilities can thrive professionally and contribute meaningfully to their communities and economies.

The GDS2025 was a clear call to action: Inclusive labour markets are not just a matter of fairness, but of economic necessity and social justice. The ILO continues to lead the charge, working to ensure that disability inclusion is central to the future of work.