Debate: Autism and inclusive employment
Date: THURSDAY, 10 JUNE 2021
Speaker: Helena Dalli
Language: EN

In addition, the European Pillar of Social Rights recognises the right of persons with disabilities to equal treatment, and opportunities, and to support ensuring a life, and dignity, and participation in the labour market and in society. The Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the Commission in March, takes into account the diversity of disability, which is sometimes invisible. This is often the case for people on the autism spectrum. For them, full inclusion in society is not obvious. Challenges are perpetrated by persistent negative stereotypes and prejudices. In some cases, discriminatory practices in the workplace create major obstacles for persons with autism. Children on the autism spectrum struggle to find inclusive and accessible educational environments responding to their needs. What can the Commission do to contribute to tackle these problems? The Commission will present this coming year a package to improve labour market outcomes for persons with disabilities. This will help strengthen the capacities of public employment services, promote hiring perspectives, reasonable accommodation and vocational rehabilitation. Persons with disabilities, including persons on the autism spectrum, are among those with a higher probability of being minimum wage or low wage earners. The Commission has presented a proposal on adequate minimum wages to reduce wage inequalities and strengthen incentives to work, including for persons with disabilities. The Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will also provide accessible and inclusive education, starting from early childhood education and care, and teacher education systems. In addition, the European Child Guarantee will contribute to effective and free—of—cost access to key services, including childcare, healthcare and education for children in need and who have a disability. EU instruments such as the European Social Fund Plus, the European Regional and Development Fund, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the Renovation Wave and the Technical Support Instrument will make an important contribution to de—institutionalisation, independent living and inclusion in the community. The Commission will also foster disability—inclusive implementation of other funding instruments, such as Erasmus+, InvestEU, and Horizon Europe. The Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme will support the work of organisations of persons with disabilities, including those focusing on autism. In relation to data collection and indicators, the Commission intends to develop, at the latest by 2023, new disability indicators, supporting those in the EU Social Scoreboard and the Sustainable Development Goals. We also call on Member States to establish targets for increasing the employment rate of persons with disabilities. This will help achieve the 2030 employment target, proposed in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan and widely supported at the Porto Social Summit. Once formally endorsed by the Council, the revised Social Scoreboard will reflect the situation in the Member States, hopefully, as proposed by the Commission, including the disability employment gap as a headline indicator.  We also call on Member States to set targets for the participation of adults with disabilities in learning. More detailed information and data on particular disabilities are available thanks to the work of EU—level organisations for persons with disabilities, supported by the European Commission, including those focusing on autism. The concrete measures proposed in the Strategy, and its intersectional approach, will help address the diverse situation of persons on the autism spectrum in synergy with other EU equality strategies. To that effect, we will continue to cooperate with the relevant stakeholders, such as Autism—Europe.  This organisation, supported by the Commission, released last December a report on the impact of COVID—19 on autistic people and their families in Europe. Autism—Europe also pays particular attention to the intersection of discrimination in employment and education, as demonstrated by their campaign ‘I can learn, I can work’. By supporting such organisations, the Commission makes sure that persons with disabilities can share their views on EU policies to improve the situation, and take into account the specificities of certain disabilities.