Panel discussion at COSP 18 side event on Assistive Technology and Employment. (From left) Sara Duasse, Pascal Bijleveld, Kathleen Bombell, Fernando Botelho, and ATscale champion, Leopoldine Huyghues Despointes, with a sign language interpreter standing behind.
“Building an inclusive labour market requires both disability-inclusive workplaces with clear reasonable accommodation systems and a robust AT ecosystem. Solutions must be context-specific, especially for rural and informal sectors.” Pascal Bijleveld, CEO, ATscale
At the 18th Session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP18) to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, policymakers, advocates, and innovators gathered for a side event hosted by ATscale and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to tackle a key barrier to disability inclusion: the employment gap in low- and middle-income countries.
Their message was clear: assistive technology (AT) is not just about products and services, it serves as a catalyst for economic growth, social inclusion, and human dignity.
Lack of access to assistive technology for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is fuelling exclusion, with only one in three people with disabilities in employment, many earning less than their peers.
“Assistive technology to me is a very powerful concept,” said Fernando Botelho, Programme Specialist for Assistive Technology at UNICEF, recalling his own fears as a young student how he would manage to find employment as he was losing his eyesight. “What we’re talking about today is not about one great story, we’re talking about scaling those incredible stories so that all who need AT have access to it.”
Making the economic and social case for change
The Policy Brief on Assistive Technology and Employment, launched during the event, clearly lays out the economic and social case for change. Research from ATscale shows that investment in four basic AT products — hearing aids, prostheses, spectacles, and wheelchairs — yields a 9:1 return on investment. In LMICs, lifetime earnings for a child with access toAT can increase by US$100,000, and productivity for working adults can rise by 16%. Further, meeting the unmet global need for AT could generate over $10 trillion in economic benefits over 55 years and, for women in low-income jobs, simple vision correction can boost earnings by up to 33%.
Barriers and solutions
The policy brief identifies systemic barriers: lack of awareness, high costs, limited supply chains, stigma, and gaps in workplace policies. In LMICs, most people with disabilities work in the informal economy, where there are no employers to fund workplace adjustments. They are often self-employed traders, farmers, or casual labourers. Without targeted government support or a formal employer to fund workplace adjustments, these workers must bear the full cost of assistive technology themselves — a cost that is prohibitive for many. As a result, the people who could benefit most from AT are often those least able to access it.
For Stefan Trömel, Senior Disability Specialist at the ILO, the issue is urgent. “In low- and middle-income countries, access to assistive technology in education, training and employment is a key element — and it’s an issue that has not been sufficiently addressed.”
Drawing from the brief, panellists called for coordinated action:
Governments must integrate AT into employment policies and financing mechanisms.
Employers should streamline workplace adjustment processes and build disability confidence.
AT suppliers need to innovate locally and strengthen maintenance services.
Civil society and organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) must advocate for inclusive policies and raise awareness.
Around the world, however, change is gathering pace. As the policy brief highlights, Australia recognizes investment in assistive technology as a strategic driver of inclusive growth, with evidence demonstrating its economic and social benefits. Zimbabwe has removed VAT on assistive products, making them more affordable, while Nigeria’s “Access to Work” scheme provides grants for workplace AT. In Kenya, companies such as Safaricom are integrating AT into youth training programmes like the IT Bridge Academy, and government efforts have cut the price of accessible smartphones from about US$140 to US$70. In rural areas, innovations like Agri-Labs — where farmers with disabilities co-design accessible tools with engineers — are opening the door to sustainable livelihoods.
Maryanne Emomeri, Communications Lead at the United Disabled People of Kenya
Maryanne Emomeri, Communications Lead at the United Disabled People of Kenya (UDPK), provided personal testimony during the session. She has lived experience of navigating education and work with a speech impairment caused by meningitis at the age of two. She uses text-to-speech technology and other digital accessibility tools to support communication in her everyday life, her work and her advocacy. “I didn’t know about assistive technology until I joined the IT Bridge Academy. What encouraged me was peer support — seeing other youth with diverse disabilities embracing assistive technology and thriving. If learners with disabilities are well accommodated, they succeed. Today many of my fellow learners are employed in tech companies or building start-ups. A good example of how I use assistive technology in employment is being on this panel — my employer sent me here to represent them, and they are empowering me through assistive technology.”
Leopoldine Huyghues Despointes, disability rights activist, filmmaker and ATscale champion, reminded participants that the case for AT goes beyond economics: “Assistive technology is about freedom. It’s about being able to participate fully in life, in education, in work, and in society. Without it, people with disabilities are excluded from opportunities that others take for granted.”
A smart, urgent investment
As Kathleen Bombell from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reminded the audience, disability equity is not charity — it’s smart economics. “Promoting disability equity is not only the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do. Full empowerment for people with disabilities could unlock access to global markets with over $13 trillion in disposable income.”
The COSP 18 side event made the case that assistive technology belongs at the centre of employment strategies — not the margins. When AT users can access the tools they need, they don’t just join the workforce; they help drive innovation, productivity, and inclusive growth.