High unemployment among people with disabilities a major concern
Unemployment among people with disabilities continues to be an unresolved issue, especially in remote areas, according to a report from the Lao Statistics Bureau.
The report noted that Laos has a high rate of unemployment among people with disabilities compared to the overall population.
Unemployment among this group stands at 4 percent, while it is just 1.5 percent in the rest of the workforce, the Lao Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Planning and Investment, noted.
The figures were reported at a meeting held on Wednesday to disseminate the results of the Monograph Report on People with Disability in Laos, based on data taken from the 4th Population and Housing Census 2015.
The meeting was chaired by the Head of the Lao Statistics Bureau, Mrs Phonesaly Souksavath, and UNFPA Representative to Laos, Ms Mariam A. Khan.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mrs Phonesaly said the main purpose of the disability monograph was to sensitise society about the situation of persons with disabilities. Statistics were very useful for policymakers and planners in changing attitudes towards persons with disabilities as well as in developing equitable services for them, she added.
The report identifies critical services needed to enhance inclusivity, education, labour, social protection and disability-related data to ensure persons with disabilities benefit from social, economic, and environmental development.
Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
