ESCWA hosted a roundtable event on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated annually on 3 December. The aim of the roundtable was to engage policy makers and disability stakeholders in the region on the issue of labour market inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The roundtable gave participants the opportunity to share regional knowledge, identify policy gaps and find opportunities for advancement.
 
During the event, a new social media campaign on disability in the Arab region highlighting the necessity to move from charity to agency was launched.
 
Participants included Government representatives responsible for labour and employment policies and ESCWA disability focal points, representatives from UN agencies, organizations for persons with disabilities (DPOs) and private sector companies.
 
The event contributed to the discussion on 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.