Women with disabilities in the labor market. double discrimination

According to the publication “Labor Market in Armenia” 2020, in 2019, 592,800 or 67% of the 883 thousand people out of the labor force are women. The main reasons for being left out of the labor force are running a household, including the care of children, the elderly, the disabled, having a disability, and being retired.

Thus, 16.8% of women out of the labor force have an illness or disability, and 21.8% of men. 2.3% of women out of work care for a sick, disabled or elderly family member, in the case of men this figure is 0.5%, in the case of 11.7% of women out of work the reason is child care, in the case of men the figure is 0.3%.

The economic activity of people with disabilities in Armenia is very low, the economic activity of women with disabilities is lower, states the report prepared by “Unison” NGO. It was developed by the NGO to identify discrimination against people with disabilities in Armenia within the framework of the “Fight against Discrimination Based on Disability” program.

According to the report, although the problems of people with disabilities are diverse, for many the most pressing issue in Armenia is the ineffectiveness of social and economic inclusion programs for the disabled. Although the state implements programs to increase the participation of people with disabilities in the labor market, the vast majority of these programs do not have a high level of stability. That is, employers often take advantage of state benefits for a period of time and then dismiss employees with disabilities and replace them with new ones. There are many cases when disabled people are exploited and abused in the labor market. They are not paid for the work done, the employer pays the salary late, etc.

According to the survey, the authors of the report note that the vast majority of respondents, 69%, have ever experienced discrimination. At the same time, 58% of the respondents who are discriminated against are mainly those with mobility disorders, 31% have the 1st group of disabilities, 29% – the 2nd group, and 27% – the 3rd. 38% of respondents to discrimination are men and 62% are women. In other words, women are about 1.5 times more likely to be discriminated against. No other forms of discrimination were reported by type of residence, education and age.

According to the research, discrimination starts in the family and then can be manifested in contact with various public institutions. It can occur during employment, study or medical care, in a variety of life situations and places.

For years, the ombudsman has raised the issue of exercising the right to work and employment for people with disabilities on an equal footing with others on an annual basis. According to him, the issue of providing employment for people with disabilities remains relevant. The problem is systemic, as it is the result of insufficient government programs aimed at promoting employment, environmental barriers, and the existence of stereotypes about people with disabilities in society.

In connection with the employment of persons with disabilities, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, in response to the Defender’s inquiries, stated that in 2020, 13 programs of state employment regulation were implemented. It is envisaged that persons with disabilities, as an uncompetitive group in the labor market, can be included in all programs as a matter of priority. However, referring to the programs implemented by the state, the Defender notes that they were not effective enough to solve the problem.

The Human Rights Defender also notes that in 2020, the issue raised by the Defender over the years regarding the employment of persons caring for children with disabilities remained unresolved. This is evidenced by the observations of the members of the Public Council under the Defender and other non-governmental organizations. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia clarified that in 2020, 30 mothers of children with disabilities participated in the professional training courses of the “Armenian Mothers” charity NGO, acquired various skills required in the labor market, but according to the ombudsman, additional efforts are needed to solve a systemic problem.

International experience shows that the fact that care facilities or carers for people with disabilities play an important role in ensuring the employment of people with disabilities is involved in various community and government programs aimed at addressing the problem of employment of people with disabilities.

Full text in Armenian