How to advance the Economic Inclusion for People with Disabilities (PWD) and Older Workers (OW)
The COVID-19 pandemic crisis disproportionately affects the lives and livelihoods of people with disabilities and older workers. The adverse health effects of the coronavirus are higher for people with disabilities and older workers and many fall under stricter shielding categories regarding countries’ containment measures, limiting access to employment. In addition, there is higher risk of redundancy or forced retirement under the prevailing business conditions, which may make it harder to regain the means and connections to recover from the current volatility and uncertainty in their businesses. The prevailing pandemic circumstances thus predominantly enlarge and entrench the multiple risks of economic exclusion these two groups face in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) countries of operations.
Since the EBRD identified people with disabilities and older workers as new target groups to be explored in 2017, it has developed an operational approach, which has fostered multiple investments and initiatives. As a result, the EBRD has an active and valuable role to play in supporting its clients and policy-level partners to secure a genuinely inclusive crisis recovery for people with disabilities and older workers under the ongoing pandemic emergency. Building on its approach and in order to address the clear and pressing needs of people with disabilities and older workers in this time of crisis, EBRD’s decided to support the development of knowledge products, highlighting clear entry-points for its counterparties in order to promote impact that is both timely and sustainable.
Thus, the knowledge products generated below serve EBRD’s clients and policy stakeholders in generating and assessing inclusive policy responses. They help deepen the knowledge base around countries’ policies and performance vis-à-vis the two groups. These reports aim to i. Compile qualitative and quantitative evidence about the challenges and opportunities people with disabilities and older workers face both globally and in the EBRD’s region; ii. Provide information on general trends, data sets, specific country case studies, and examples of international best business and policy practice to promote economic inclusion for people with disabilities and older workers; and iii. Provide targeted support to the efforts of the EBRD and its partners to improve access to employment and skills, access to finance and entrepreneurship, and access to services to people with disabilities and older workers.
The reports compile three packages:
A. Compilation of evidence on ‘challenges and responses’
a. Report: Economic inclusion for People with disabilities
b. Report: Economic inclusion for Older Workers
B. Compilation of statistical indicators
a. Statistical Report: Older workers and people with disabilities
b. Statistical indicators: People with disabilities and older workers
C. Country profiles and a ‘mega-profile’ of international best practices
a. Good practices: Economic inclusion for people with disabilities and older workers
b. Belarus Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
c. Egypt Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
d. Georgia Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
e. Kazakhstan Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
f. Morocco Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
g. North Macedonia Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
h. Poland Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
i. Romania Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
j. Turkey Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
k. Ukraine Country Brief - People with disabilities and Older Workers
