Employment barriers continue to limit workforce participation of persons with disabilities, says ChildFund

By Charithya Kumarasiri

Colombo, July 8 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka is losing productivity, talent and economic potential by failing to better integrate persons with disabilities into the workforce, ChildFund Sri Lanka warns. While nearly 70 percent of persons with disabilities remain unemployed despite persistent labour shortages across industries, this group includes many people who could participate in the labour market with appropriate support, alongside others whose disabilities may limit their ability to work or require specialised forms of employment.

Speaking at a media briefing on disability-inclusive recruitment organised by ChildFund Sri Lanka recently, Country Director Aditi Ghosh said Sri Lanka faces a paradox where employers continue to report labour and skills shortages while a significant proportion of persons with disabilities remain outside the workforce. “Sri Lanka has more than 1.6 million persons with disabilities. Nearly 70 percent are unemployed and only about 21 percent are economically active. At the same time, employers consistently report skill shortages. There are jobs without people and people without jobs,” she said.

Ghosh stressed that disability inclusion should not be viewed as charity or welfare, but as an economic imperative. She noted that global estimates show countries lose between three and seven percent of GDP due to the exclusion of persons with disabilities from economic participation. “What Sri Lanka loses is not just individual opportunity. It is lost productivity, lost innovation and a lost economic future,” she said.

Unemplyment among persons with disabilities is driven less by disability itself and more by systemic barriers that limit access to education, training and employment. Limited access to quality education, weak links between vocational training and labour market demand, inaccessible workplaces, rigid recruitment systems and persistent social stigma are major obstacles preventing persons with disabilities from entering the workforce.

Addressing these challenges, ChildFund Sri Lanka has adopted what it describes as a systems-change approach to disability inclusion. The organisation focuses on strengthening existing systems rather than creating parallel services, with the aim of making government institutions and private sector workplaces more accessible and inclusive, and this initiative is built around four key pillars: market-driven skills development, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion, private-sector engagement, and rights-based advocacy.

As part of these efforts, ChildFund Sri Lanka, which has operated in the country for more than four decades, currently works through 11 vocational training centres across the country, including centres in Gampaha, Kilinochchi and Hambantota. Through these centres, the organisation has introduced 10 market-oriented skills development modules, reaching more than 12,000 children and adults with disabilities in recent years. The organisation is currently supporting around 300 persons with disabilities in their employment journeys and has established partnerships with 33 private sector organisations to create pathways into work, aiming to bridge the gap between skills development and employment by connecting trained youth with employers while promoting more inclusive recruitment practices.

However, several barriers continue to limit employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. One of the key challenges is the mismatch between the skills demanded by industry and those available in the labour market. Ghosh also pointed to recruitment systems that are often inaccessible or inflexible, as well as misconceptions among employers that hiring persons with disabilities requires significant financial investment. “Many organisations think inclusion is costly, but that is not necessarily the case,” she said, noting that employers do not need to wait until every aspect of their organisation is fully accessible before beginning to recruit persons with disabilities. Instead, businesses can start with internships, workplace exposure programmes, job trials and more flexible recruitment processes.

Beyond institutional barriers, social stigma continues to hinder the economic participation of persons with disabilities. In some instances, families are reluctant to allow young persons with disabilities to pursue employment opportunities due to concerns about safety, discrimination and prevailing social attitudes. While such concerns are understandable, it can restrict opportunities for young people to develop skills, gain workplace experience and achieve greater independence.

To address these challenges and expand opportunities for persons with disabilities, ChildFund Sri Lanka plans to strengthen collaboration with employers, government institutions and other stakeholders. The organisation also aims to support the formation of a corporate coalition focused on disability-inclusive hiring while continuing to work with government agencies to strengthen links between education, vocational training and employment. Calling for broader action, Ghosh highlighted on a more active role employers, policymakers and the media should play in dismantling barriers faced by persons with disabilities and promoting inclusive workplaces. “Inclusion is growth, and ability deserves opportunity. No economy has ever grown by leaving people behind,” she said.