Disability and poverty, the Eurostat report
Disability and access to the labor market. Draft EU guidelines
7 February 2021
Smart Chair, forward for all
7 March 2021
Disability is a primary risk factor for poverty. The Eurostat report 18.2.21 confirms the previous data, even before Covid-19 one in four disabled people lived in precarious economic conditions (1,2). Adequate nutrition, unforeseen expenses, vacations too often remain out of the reach of the most vulnerable. It rains in the wet.
Poor disabled, poor disabled?
Pietism, marginalization, discrimination. Compassion de noantri is accompanied by the systematic violation of fundamental human rights recognized only in words in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). And it is therefore that the 'poor disabled' often falls into the category of 'poor disabled'. The prevalence of poverty among the disabled over-16 thus exceeds by 10 points, 26,1% vs. 16%, that of non-disabled people.
Job inclusion is still a mirage, as the EMPL Commission recently noted (Employment and Social Affairs Committee, Employment and Social Affairs) of the European Parliament. (3) And the higher costs in daily life - to address architectural barriers and personal mobility, (4) the high costs of aids and devices, rehabilitation and care - are only partially covered by the public sector.
Poor disabled people in Europe, up to 3 out of 4
The poor disabled - in the European Union of 27 - they represent on average 26,1% of the total number of people with disabilities. With significant variations between the different member countries.
The Champions of discrimination are Greece and Bulgaria, where poor disabled people are respectively 3 out of 4 (76,5%) and 2 out of 3 (65,7%). 1 out of 2 poor disabled people in Croatia (49,2%), fewer in Cyprus (43,2%) and Romania (40,9%),
In Italy on the other hand, poor disabled people are 1 in 3 (32,1%), not far from Portugal (34,5%), the Slovak Republic (35%), Latvia (36,7%) and Hungary (39%).
Northern Europe, a lesson in civilization
The lesson of civilization comes from Northern Europe, where discrimination against the disabled community seems absent or in any case minimal. At the top of the list is Finland, where the poor disabled are 9,9%. Followed by populous Germany (10,4%), Sweden (13,1%), Luxembourg (14%), Denmark (15,8%), Austria (16,2%), the Netherlands (18,2%). ), Estonia (19,6%).
Inaccessible proteins
The accounts in red affect nutrition, a crucial factor for health and disease prevention. On average, 11,3% of people with disabilities in Europe cannot afford to eat protein (animal or vegetable) even every other day, according to Eurostat.
Malnutrition it therefore has a double prevalence in the disabled compared to the able-bodied (5,8%). With peaks in Bulgaria, where the hungry disabled are 41,7%, and in Hungary (21%).
Unforeseen unreachable expenses
40,9% of the disabled Europeans declare that they cannot cope with an unexpected expense. A home repair, the replacement of an appliance - sometimes even an indispensable device or aid, or a surgery, a funeral - are often insurmountable. Health and social assistance services are therefore, in turn, substantially inadequate.
Again, the geography of inequality is variable. With negative peaks in Lithuania (62,8%), Croatia (62,6%), Latvia (62,2%) and less serious situations in Luxembourg (22,5%), Austria (24,8%), Malta ( 26,9%),
Greater risks of arrears
Financial difficulties expose people with disabilities more to late payments (mortgage, rent, bills, etc.). With a 9,1% probability of becoming defaulters, compared to 7,2% of the able-bodied.
The greatest risks arrears of disabled people are recorded in Greece (38,6%), Bulgaria (32,3%) and Ireland (18,3%). The situation is much better in Germany (4,1%), the Czech Republic (3,1%) and Luxembourg (2,1%).
Vacation?
The holidays obviously they are a mirage. Not even once a year, for 41% of European disabled people, compared with 24% of able-bodied people. The greatest difficulties are found in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. 66,4% without relief in Romania, 63,8% in Croatia, 59,9% in Bulgaria. The situation is much more harmonious in Northern Europe, where the impossibility for disabled people to take a holiday a year is limited to 19,1% in Sweden, 16,1% in Finland, 14,8% in Luxembourg.
From bad to worse
Eurostat data above, it should be noted, relate to surveys carried out in 2019. Covid-19 has aggravated the situation in various respects, including the need to deal with private assistance services following the paralysis of the public system.
La open letter that we presented to the institutions and civil society on 3.12.20, to solicit a series of interventions in support of people with disabilities and frailty, has not met with any response.
# We are no longer patient!
Dario Dongo and Marta Strinati
Note
(1) Eurostat. People with disabilities struggling to make ends meet. 18.2.21 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20210218-1?redirect=%2Feurostat%2Fhome
(2) Dario Dongo, Sabrina Bergamini. Knowing about disability, Istat and Eurostat reports. Egalité. 4.12.19, https://www.egalite.org/conoscere-la-disabilita-rapporti-istat-ed-eurostat/
(3) Dario Dongo, Elena Bosani. Disability and access to the labor market, draft EU guidelines. Egalité. 7.2.21, https://www.egalite.org/disabilita-e-accesso-al-mercato-del-lavoro-progetto-di-linee-guida-ue/
(4) Dario Dongo. Personal mobility of the disabled, denied rights and blackouts in Rome. Egalité. 20.10.19, https://www.egalite.org/mobilita-personale-dei-disabili-diritti-negati-e-blackout-a-roma/
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
