The COVID-19 pandemic considerably worsened the situation of persons with disabilities on the labor market. The employment rate among persons with disabilities is at the lowest level in the last five years (13.5%), being three times lower than among the general population (39.8%), says a study launched today by the Center “Partnership for Development” (CPD) with the financial assistance of Soros Foundation of Moldova, IPN reports.
According to the study “Good intentions, uncertain results: labor market inclusion of people with disabilities”, even if the situation of people with disabilities has been difficult in time, the pandemic led to considerable worsening. The number of working people with disabilities decreased, while those who continue having a job work mainly in modestly paid areas.
“The situation of persons with disabilities was vulnerable before the pandemic too, especially as regards the presence on the labor market. The data of the National Bureau of Statistics show very reduced presence of people with disabilities on the labor market. Data for 2021 show that 13% of the persons with disabilities are included in the labor market, as opposed to 40% for the general population. Over the last few years, the number of woman on the labor market has decreased and we can speak about marginalization here. On the one hand, the women access the labor market with difficulty given the domestic chores they assume. On the other hand, the state of health becomes a barrier and a discrimination factor when women with disabilities become employed,” said study author Natalia Covrig.
The study reveals that 40% of the people with disabilities work in agriculture and their incomes are relatively small. As a result, these persons are in the poverty zone. Moreover, this year’s drought led to a decline in the volume of agricultural production and the incomes of the agricultural sector’s employees decreased further.
“Statistics show that the persons with disabilities have limited access to education too. 10% of them have higher education. This situation prevents them from taking up jobs in areas with high productivity. Even if the agricultural sector during the pandemic period wasn’t among the most affected areas, in the long run the concentrated presence of persons with disabilities in the agricultural sector makes them even more vulnerable, generating financial insecurity among them,” stated the study author.
She noted that the unemployment rate among people with disabilities in 2021 was of 4.2%, being twice higher than last year and reaching the highest value in the last few years.
“During the pandemic, the situation of the people with disabilities worsened significantly compared with the general population. Over 50% of the people with disabilities said the situation at the workplace has worsened. A significant number of persons said that their incomes situation has worsened. The unemployment rate among people with disabilities during the pandemic decreased considerably, they being the most susceptible to work in unsafe conditions,” stated study author Andrei Brighidin.
On January 1, 2021, according to the National House of Social Insurance, the people with disabilities in the Republic of Moldova numbered 174,500 and 10,400 of them were younger than 17. The men represented 51.8% of the people with disabilities.
