​A good education is the path to employment and a fulfilling life. It also helps protect against poverty and exclusion. Everyone has the right to an education adapted to their needs and a means to access the job market to use their skills. The Commission’s ten-year Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities  works to make education more inclusive and effective  – at all levels from early years to university – and employment more accessible and inclusive.

The Easy-to-read version of this text is available here.

Creating more and better jobs in inclusive workplaces

Persons with disabilities are protected against discrimination at work by EU law. Despite this they often find it hard to get jobs and stay in work. There are many reasons for this, including lack of accessible facilities in the workplace, but the result is that 50.8% of persons with disabilities are in employment compared to 75% of those without a disability. Persons with disabilities have a right to work and earn a living, just like everyone else. Work can be the path to greater autonomy and a more enriching life.

Employment is one of the main priorities of the Strategy.

The Commission has recently proposed a package of measure to help EU countries tackle stereotypes on the job market, implement affirmative action and make sure workplaces are adapted to the needs of employees with disabilities. It includes, for instance, a catalogue of positive actions to facilitate hiring of persons with disabilities.

The European Commission also, for example:

• Makes sure EU law is used properly to protect persons with disability at work.
• Uses EU initiatives such as The Youth Guarantee to help young persons with disabilities under 30 get into work.
• Helps strengthen the social economy.

The European Commission has also asked EU countries do specific things, such as setting targets for 2024 for:

• Increasing the number of persons with disabilities in work.
• Reducing employment rate gaps between those with and without disabilities.

Closing the gap in education

Over 20% of young people with disabilities leave school early compared to just under 10% of young people without a disability. And fewer persons with disabilities get a university degree. Many young people are educated in special schools which don’t always offer a clear way into work.

Inclusive education is a priority for the EU and under the Strategy it will work with EU countries to, for example:

• Encourage the adoption of an EU law on equal treatment in education.
• Improve teacher training to tackle the shortage of teachers in Special Needs Education and to make sure everyone working in education is trained to support children with special needs.
• Make mainstream schools more inclusive with extra help for children with disabilities, including for neurodivergent students.

We all have the right to a good, lifelong education and a route into a job or profession without discrimination.