Working together to create job opportunities for people with disabilities in Azerbaijan

Today, a round-table event was held in Baku bringing together representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population, UNDP, UNFPA, and over 20 representatives of the largest state and private sector companies to discuss current best practices for employing people with disabilities as well as future steps on how to jointly create better and more job and education opportunities for people with disabilities in the country. 

One of the main conclusions of the meeting is that an increasing number of companies in Azerbaijan are starting to recognize disability as a source of diversity, talent, and innovation. Companies have greater opportunities than ever before to recruit people with disabilities as employees and managers and thereby gain a competitive advantage. 

Decent work empowers people with disabilities to lead more independent lives and contribute to the wellbeing of their families, communities, and society at large, building together a more inclusive economy. 

The event, entitled ‘Employment of Persons with Disabilities: Employer Practices’, was organized as part of the project ‘Addressing the Rights and Well-being of Women with Disabilities and Veterans of the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict’. This project is funded by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population and was launched on the initiative of the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, and is being implemented by UNDP and UNFPA. 

This project aims to complement the Government’s efforts to protect, respect, and fulfill the rights of persons living with disabilities, with a specific focus on women and war veterans of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This is expected to result in greater protection and improved wellbeing for these groups by creating better access to education, career guidance services, and job opportunities. The project recently helped launch a first Virtual Skills Development and Training Lab, which can be accessed at www.vlaboratoriya.sosial.gov.az.