Employment issues
This video outlines the work of EBU in the area of employment
Blind and partially sighted Europeans are undoubtedly among the most vulnerable and least visible members of society. For the most part they are at the bottom end of the earnings league.
Poverty and social exclusion are inextricably linked and are caused by a complex combination of factors. Poor education and housing, unemployment and inadequate social protection, inaccessible information, transport and the built environment, negative attitudes and prejudices in society are all factors that lead to exclusion.
Rehabilitation and vocational training are closely related to employment and a decent income. All blind and partially sighted people should have access to these services and EBU advocates minimum quality standards.
Rehabiliation and vocational training services differ from country to country. In some, these services are centralised, in others the services are offered locally in order to make them more accessible for all. Surveys show that women generally have less access to these services than men and that locally offered services increase the number of female participants in the rehabilitation programmes.
See also the work of the EBU Commission on Rehabilitation, Vocational Training and Employment
and consult the EBU Job website, which offers details on the different range of jobs undertaken by blind and partially sighted people.
Further reading -
- The employment of blind and partially-sighted persons in Italy: a challenging issue in a changing economy and society (2009)
- A Golden Standard of Rehabilitation, paper by the EBU Commission on Rehabilitation, Vocational Training and Employment (December 2006)
- Results and recommendations of the EBU Questionnaire Survey on the education, vocational training and rehabilitation of blind and partially sighted women across the 27 EU Member States in 2007.
See also the useful links page for further employment information.