Scholarly record

SELF-EMPLOYMENT AS THE METHOD FOR COUNTERACTING UNEMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL MARGINALIZATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN POLAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES

A. Koza, A. Politaj

Abstract

Persons with disabilities, constituting one of the largest minorities in the world, experience a difficult situation on the labour market and are particularly vulnerable to marginalization resulting from unemployment. In Poland, similarly to other countries, persons with disabilities are characterized by the significantly low activity on the labour market. They are more frequently unemployed and less often take up work comparing to people without disabilities. The survey and the subject literature review carried out for the purposes of this study, as well as statistical data analysis, allowed establishing that disability, despite being often a major barrier for entering or returning to the labour market, may also act as a stimulant for self-employment. However, the general situation on the labour market is not without impact on this form of economic activity taken up by persons with disabilities. Simultaneously, the authors are aware of the complex nature of the problem covered by the study due to e.g. the lack of access to comparable and consistent international and most recent data on the situation of persons with disabilities on the labour market, and in particular on their self-employment. The authors hope that the presented study will contribute towards better understanding of the problems experienced by persons with disabilities and developing more effective programmes aimed at activating these people on the labour market.

Publication details

Back to publication list