The persons with disabilities experience a series of difficulties when they try to get a job. Though Moldova ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which guarantees this right, six years ago, the employment opportunities are limited and this affects these persons’ welfare and economic status. During 11 months, 35 NGOs will carry out advocacy activities, including on this segment, within the project “Partnerships for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities” that was launched by the Alliance of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities of the Republic of Moldova.
Igor Meriacre, executive director of the association “Motivatie”, in a news conference at IPN, said the difficulties and barriers related to employment stem from the childhood of the person with disabilities. In most of the cases, the children with special needs are isolated. Often these cannot be enrolled at education institutions namely because of the absence of wheelchair access and other adjustments needed by such children. The inaccessible infrastructure is a hindrance both to children and to groups with disabilities. As these persons do not have access to education, their chances of being employed are very slim.
Vitalie Mester, executive director of the Center for Legal Assistance for Persons with Disabilities, said the responsibility for ensuring working conditions for persons with disabilities is shifted onto the employers and these are thus discouraged from employing persons with special needs. Society treats the persons with disabilities as persons who live on benefit, but these are active persons who want to become taxpayers.
The representatives of the NGOs said that Moldova does not have statistics about the number of persons with disabilities who intend to get a job. Galina Climov, coordinator of the Secretariat of the Alliance of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities, said that a study of the labor market supply for persons with disabilities will be carried out within the project. Also, civil society is to take part in the elaboration of public policies.
According to official statistics, in Moldova there are at least 184,000 persons with disabilities.
