ESCWA and the International Labour Organization (ILO) organized a training workshop for policy-makers and disability stakeholders from Arab states on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labour market.
 
The workshop covered:

• How member States can develop an enabling environment, including laws and active labour market policies, and develop or activate quota policies. Such laws and policies should serve to further the employment and retention of persons with disabilities in both the public and private sector.
• How public and private sector enterprises can provide reasonable accommodations which make it possible for people with disabilities to access decent work opportunities.

 
The training supported participants in developing policies and practices leading towards increased employment of persons with disabilities and facilitating an enabling environment.  The workshop also strengthened and created new partnerships between different stakeholders from the public, civil and private sector.
 
Participants included Government representatives responsible for labour and employment policies and ESCWA disability focal points, representatives from the International Labour Organization (ILO), organizations for persons with disabilities and private sector companies.
 
Based on interactive methodology between participants, trainers and guest speakers from the private sector and NGOs, the event was an opportunity to share best practices and to assess current ways of implementation of the CRPD article 27 and different challenges facing different stakeholders.
 
The event contributed to the overall objective of “leaving no one behind” and including all members of society into the development process under the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Better inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labour market corresponds to Article 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and Goal 8 of the SDGs.