Leave no young adult with disabilities behind in the digital age
Young people and people with disabilities are among the most disadvantaged groups when it comes to getting a decent job and progressing in their careers. Unfortunately, when young age and disability are combined, the labour market situation is even more dire. The COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated the challenges of young adults with disabilities around the world. In the first half of 2020, one out of six young persons were out of work and persons with disabilities were among the first who lost their jobs due to the socio-economic consequences of COVID-19. Young women with disabilities have experienced even more disproportionate effects than their male counterparts.
The companies we represent, the Adecco Group and Nestlé, have been acting to support young people with disabilities. For example, our companies are members of both the UN Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth as well as the ILO Global Business and Disability Network. If we want to provide opportunities to some of the most marginalised in our societies, we can’t do it in isolation. Firstly, we need to, of course, partner with initiatives and networks like the ones facilitated by the ILO. Secondly, we seek to understand and address the intersecting identities of individuals, in this case people who are young and at the same time live with a disability.