Poll Highlighting Discrimination Marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities
More than 8 in 10 Irish people (83%) agree that people with disabilities face barriers to participating in Irish life, while more than half (54%) say that disabled people do not receive equal opportunities in terms of employment, in a new national poll published today by the Human Rights and Equality Commission (‘the Commission’), to mark the United Nation’s 2022 International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Census figures show that over 13% of the population have a disability. In our poll, when asked if they had experienced discrimination due to a disability in the past 12 months, over 1 in 10 people (11%) revealed that they had, with a further 2% unsure. We can see that a significant proportion of people with disabilities have experienced discrimination within the past year. This is despite the fact that 9 out of 10 people (88%) of the total population, agree that disabled people were part of the community.
In addition nearly 9 in 10 people (86%) agree that employers need to do more to accommodate employees with disabilities.
Since 1992, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWD) is celebrated on the 3rd of December as a way of promoting equality for people with disabilities; by promoting an understanding of disability rights, and by increasing awareness of all the potential gains from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
The theme of this year is: ‘Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world.’
It notes that we face global challenges of an unprecedented nature, and people in vulnerable situations such as persons with disabilities, are the most excluded and left behind. This theme urges governments, and the public and private sectors, to find innovative solutions for and with persons with disabilities to make the world a more accessible and equal place.
Sinéad Gibney, Chief Commissioner of the Commission said:
“It’s clear that there is public support for positive action to address discrimination against people with disabilities, particularly when accessing the labour market, where disabled people continue to face barriers and obstacles.
“All people, including those amongst us who have disabilities, should enjoy the right to work, contribute, and participate in society. We must do better.”
ENDS/
For further information, please contact:
Sarah Clarkin, IHREC Communications Manager,
01 852 9641 / 087 468 7760
sarah.clarkin@ihrec.ie
Follow us on twitter @_IHREC
Notes for Editors: The annual IHREC poll is a cross-sectional survey design with some questions repeated annually over three years (2020-2023). The unit of analysis is the individual respondent and the sample is designed to be representative of the entire population. The data for 2022 was collected by Amárach Research via an online poll between 10 -21st November 2022, administered to 1200 participants aged 18 or over. The poll includes a number of questions on disability and disabled people.
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission is Ireland’s independent National Human Rights Institution and National Equality Body, and is the designated independent monitor of Ireland’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD.)