The last few months have been hard on all of us, but would you imagine the sort of toll it has taken on the estimated one billion persons with disabilities worldwide? A report by the United Nations explains the socio-economic implications that COVID-19 has had on persons with disabilities, both short term and far-reaching implications.
Employment and social protection
This is one of the areas that persons with disabilities have really struggled with. According to the UN, persons with disabilities already face exclusion in employment under normal circumstances and are much more likely to lose their job and experience greater difficulties returning to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In terms of social protection, the UN notes that most countries offer little support to persons with disabilities and their families with much less access to social insurance. “Only 28 percent of persons with significant disabilities have access to disability benefits globally, and only 1 percent in low-income countries.”
According to the organization, the increased demand for unpaid care and domestic work in the context of the pandemic is deepening already existing inequalities which may be exacerbated for women with disabilities.
Education
It is also likely that the current pandemic has exacerbated their exclusion from education. According to the UN, children, and students with disabilities are least likely to benefit from distance learning solutions. “Lack of support, access to the internet, accessible software and learning materials are likely to deepen the gap for students with disabilities.”
Additionally, disruption to skills and training programmes are likely to have far-reaching effects on youth with disabilities who face a multitude of barriers to entering the workforce.
Violence
The report by the UN also indicates a substantial increase of domestic violence amid lockdown measures – such as the closure of schools in Kenya - which have a particular impact on women and girls with disabilities. “Given that both children and adults with disabilities are at much higher risk of violence than their peers without disabilities, it can be assumed that they are disproportionately impacted.”
Increased stigma and discrimination against persons with disabilities within communities has also been reported.
Support Services
The report finds that measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in significant disruptions to services, support systems and informal networks, such as personal assistance, sign language, and tactile interpretation, and psychosocial support.
“The economic impact of COVID-19 may also lead to even greater cuts within existing services in the post-pandemic period.”
Margaret Njugunah