CRPD/C/GC/8
United Nations
Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities
Distr.: General
7 October 2022
Original: English
Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
General comment No. 8 (2022) on the right of persons with
disabilities to work and employment*
I.
Introduction
1.
The aim of the present general comment is to clarify the obligations of States parties
regarding the right to work and employment as enshrined in article 27 of the Convention.
The Convention sets out the principles and standards of the right of persons with disabilities
to work and employment, and provides the basis for States parties to meet their commitments
under the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly target 8.5, on achieving, by 2030, full
and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including persons with
disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
2.
The right to work is a fundamental right, essential for realizing other human rights,
and forms an inseparable and inherent part of human dignity. The right to work also
contributes to the survival of individuals and to that of their family, and, insofar as work is
freely chosen or accepted, to their development and recognition within the community.1 The
right to work is recognized in several international and regional legal instruments. The
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights proclaims the right to work
in a general sense in article 6, and explicitly develops the individual dimension of the right
to work through the recognition in article 7 of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of just
and favourable conditions of work, in particular safe working conditions. The collective
dimension of the right to work is addressed in article 8 of the Covenant, which enunciates the
right of all persons to form trade unions and to join the trade union of their choice and the
right of trade unions to function freely. The Committee has drawn upon its own jurisprudence,
and that of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other human rights
treaty bodies, to develop the present general comment.
3.
Meaningful work and employment are essential to a person’s economic security,
physical and mental health, personal well-being and sense of identity. However, the
Committee is aware that a value system known as ableism adversely affects the opportunities
for many persons with disabilities to have meaningful work and employment. Ableism and
its impact have been described as “a value system that considers certain typical characteristics
of body and mind as essential for living a life of value. Based on strict standards of
appearance, functioning and behaviour, ableist ways of thinking consider the disability
experience as a misfortune that leads to suffering and disadvantage and invariably devalues
human life.”2 The foundation of the medical and charity models of disability, ableism leads
to social prejudice, inequality and discrimination against persons with disabilities, as it
underpins legislation, policies and practices such as segregated employment – for example
“sheltered workshops” – and can result in involuntary participation in the informal economy.
* Adopted by the Committee at its twenty-seventh session (15 August–9 September 2022).
1
2
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 18 (2005), para. 1.
A/HRC/43/41, para. 9.
GE.22-16259(E)