Digital economy in post-pandemic world must be inclusive of people with disabilities: ILO

A recent report from International Labour Organisation (ILO) said that vances in digital ecomy significantly accelerated by COVID-19 pandemic are creating unprecedented opportunities to build a more inclusive world of work for more than one billion people with disabilities globally. report titled ‘An inclusive digital ecomy for people with disabilities’, however, ded that digital barriers also threaten to aggravate existing inequalities and exclusion unless y are countered with effective and targeted initiatives. It is worth ting that report was prepared by ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN) and Spanish disability NGO Fundacion ONCE.

report looks at effects of digital revolution on creation of jobs, changes to existing roles and work models as well as online recruitment processes. It also highlights key areas for action by different groups of stakeholders including digital industry, acemia, governments, workers and employers and people with disabilities mselves. Furr, report even highlights three main levers for creating a more inclusive digital labour market for persons with disabilities: ensuring accessibility, fostering digital skills and promoting digital employment. 

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study said that increase in digital work creates acute problems for those without necessary skills or equipment. It pointed out that due to persistent exclusion, people with disabilities generally have lower levels of education and training than ir peers without disabilities. Hence, reselling and upskilling will be key to building an inclusive future of work, alongside initiatives to foster digital employment and support collaboration between relevant stakeholders, report said. 

‘Tech revolution must include people with disabilities’ 

However, study also warned that a lack of accessible assistive techlogies can create new barriers because without it many essential digital tools will t be usable by people with disabilities. Manuela Tomei, Director of ILO's conditions of work and equality department, said that COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated trends alrey present in world of work, including expansion of digital ecomy. She said that world must direct this trend in a bid to support an "inclusive future".  

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“We must ensure that we direct this trend so that it supports an inclusive future of work in which talents and skills of persons with disabilities can contribute to success of workplaces and societies worldwide,” Tomei ded. 

Fernando Ria, Director of Institutional Relations and Social Responsibility in ONCE Social Group, said: "In order to leave one behind, techlogical revolution which we are living and which has been accelerated by pandemic needs to ensure an inclusive design for people with disabilities, so prevent it being a barrier for m”. 

(With inputs from ANI) 

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