On 3 December, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities reminds us that accessibility and inclusion are fundamental rights. This is especially important for municipalities, which are both public employers and standard-setters in their communities.
A truly inclusive municipality respects the dignity of all staff including those with disabilities by ensuring access, representation, accommodation and participation.
The inclusion gap: What the data tells us
- Across the EU, only about 51.3% of working-age persons with disabilities are employed, compared to approximately 75.6% of persons without disabilities
- The employment gap, the difference in employment rates, ranges from 21.4 to 22.7 percentage points across EU countries
- Within EU-SILC 2023, 26.8% of people aged 16+ reported activity limitations (19.6% some limitations; 7.2% severe)
- Employment is also deeply stratified: persons with disabilities face higher risk of poverty, lower educational access and less income security
These inequalities reflect both structural barriers and institutional inaction.
What municipalities can do: practical actions and resources
A range of EU and global frameworks are available to help public authorities become accessible, inclusive, and empowering employers:
EU Disability Employment Package (2022–2024)
Includes a Catalogue of Positive Actions, Guidelines on Reasonable Accommodation, and tools to support staff with chronic conditions. These practical resources help HR teams establish inclusive hiring, retention and accommodation policies
ILO Global Business and Disability Network Principles
Ten principles covering areas such as inclusive recruitment, accessibility, staff training, retention and accountability. These guidelines apply across sectors, including municipal workplaces.
OECD and Eurostat Analysis Show how public organisations with diverse and disability-inclusive practices perform better and enjoy greater public trust. Implementation of reasonable accommodation, employee networks, accessible communication and fair hiring are key levers.
Legal Foundations: UN CRPD (Article 27) & EU Employment Equality Directive
Both frameworks establish binding obligations for public institutions to promote access, prevention of discrimination, and reasonable accommodations in employment settings
Good Practice Examples in Municipalities
Cities have appointed Disability Champions in leadership, created internship and training programmes for persons with disabilities and formed staff networks to co-design inclusive policies. These approaches send a strong, visible message: inclusion is a priority.
Start from within: assess, adapt, advance
Reflect on these key questions:
- Do municipal policies ensure equitable access, accommodation and progression for employees with disabilities?
- Are your HR and leadership teams equipped to implement adjustments and accessibility measures proactively?
The DEI Capacity Assessment Tool includes indicators for inclusion from workplace accessibility to staff wellbeing and representation supporting institutions to evaluate, plan and act.
3 December: Make inclusion visible, concrete, ongoing
This International Day of Persons with Disabilities, municipalities can:
- Publicly commit to improving disability inclusion in recruitment, workplace design, and leadership
- Review and enhance accommodation and inclusion protocols
- Engage with staff and local organisations on co-designing actions
- Share successes, challenges and next steps using #InsideInclusionEU
Accessible policies and inclusive cultures transform workplaces and strengthen public engagement and trust. Let’s move beyond compliance to create municipal institutions that respect, empower, and celebrate all contributors.
