More employment for persons with disabilities:
EASPD agrees on Thessaloniki Declaration

On 11-12 June, the EASPD conference on the theme of “Bringing people to work” took place in Thessaloniki, Greece. More than 150 interested sector leaders, EASPD members and persons with disabilities attended the conference and discussed strategies on how to include persons with disabilities into the labour market and how social service providers can contribute to this process.

On this occasion, EASPD agreed on an initiative underlining its commitment to adapt to the challenges of the financial crisis and the 21st century: the EASPD Thessaloniki Declaration.

The EASPD Thessaloniki Declaration: employment for all

            Today, over 50 million European citizens with disabilities represent more than 12% of the population of the European Union. While about 68% of non-disabled people have a job, only 20% of the disabled citizens are employed. 2.5 million disabled people are still employed in sheltered workshops. Unemployment leads directly to poverty, social exclusion and mental health problems.
            EASPD and its member organizations therefore call for a full implementation of art. 27 (on work and employment) of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. These high unemployment rates are not acceptable!!!

Success factors are:

• Stakeholder cooperation - persons with disabilities, social service providers, authorities and the business world at one table
• Targeted actions - make sure that work pays
• Availability of support for employers and employees
• Research and evidence based innovation should be promoted

Unlock the potential!!!

           “We have to unlock this huge potential of persons with disabilities who want and who are able to work!” said Franz Wolfmayr, President of EASPD. “Excluding people from the open labour market means a huge loss of economic value, skills and competencies and generates pressure on social protection schemes. We cannot accept it and therefore call on the European Institutions and the Member States to promote the correct implementation of art. 27 of the UN Convention and to provide legal frameworks guaranteeing real contracts and real salaries to all workers. Persons with disabilities have the right to work like anyone else.”
           The Thessaloniki Declaration will be launched in September 2009 in the European Parliament.

	The EASPD Thessaloniki Declaration click to zoom the photos