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Portuguese disability framework brief

1.  Persons with disabilities in Portugal

1.1.     Definition of person with disabilities, for operational purpose

A person with significant activity limitations and participation, in one or several domains of life, resulting from the interaction between the functional and structural changes of permanent nature and the surrounding contexts, causing prolonged difficulties of communication, learning, mobility, autonomy, interpersonal relations and social participation, leading to the mobilisation of services and resources, in order to promote the potential for biopsychosocial functioning

1.2.     Social characterization

1.2.1.    Study Modelling Policies and Practices of Social Inclusion for People with Disabilities in Portugal – 2007[1]

• Incidence rate: 8,2%
• Distribution by sex: 68% women; 32% men
• Distribution by age groups

Graph 1: People with disabilities by age groups

• Distribution by disability type (on the basis of changes in the body functions)

Graph 2: People with disabilities according to the type of changes in their body functions

• Level of education

Table 1: Level of education (25-70 years)

	PwD (%)	Population of Mainland Portugal (%)
Does not know how to read or write, or did not attend to school	21,1	3,6
1st level of basic education	57,2	36,3
2nd level of basic education	10,6	16,4
3rd level of basic education	6,1	18,9
Secondary education	3,2	15,6
Medium/ higher education	1,7	9,3

 

• Participation in economic activity

 

Table 2: Participation in economic activity

	Population of Mainland Portugal (%) (18-65 years)	PwD (18-65 years)	PwD (18-35 years)
Rate of activity	100	49	74
Rate of unemployment	100	246	217
Rate of employment	100	40	64

 

• Income

 

Table 3: Net monthly family income (%)

	PwD
Up to 403 Euros	27,6
From 404 to 600 Euros	21,7
From 601 to 800 Euros	14,2
From 801 to 1000 Euros	7,9
From 1001 to 1200 Euros	4,6
From 1021 to 1600 Euros	2,4
From 1601 or more Euros	1,1
Does not know/ does not answer	20,6

 

Having into account that the average number of individuals per family is of 2,4 for this population, the degree of economic precariousness is even more expressive. Considering as a reference the fact that in Portugal, in 2007, the poverty threshold corresponded to 360 Euros of income per adult, it is very likely that a significant part of this population finds itself below that threshold.

Social benefits are the main source of income for 66% of the people with disabilities

 

1.2.2.    Census 2011[2]

• Incidence rate (Portuguese people aged 5 years old or more with at least 1 difficulty on performing activities): 17,79% (1 792 719)
• People experiencing difficulties by the number of difficulties felt

 

Graph 3: People with difficulties according to the number of difficulties felt

• Major difficulty types: walking (25%); seeing (23%); memory/ concentration (17%)
• Participation in economic activity

 

Table 4: Participation in economic activity (%, people aged 15 years or more)

	With at least 1 difficulty	Overall population
Active population	22	56
– Employed	18	49
– Unemployed	4	7
Inactive population	78	44
Unemployment rate	19	13

 

1.3.     Perception of discrimination

In the framework of the study Modelling (CRPG & ISCTE, 2007), the persons with disabilities interviewed were asked about their perception regarding discrimination in a set of different social contexts. 97,5% to 99,2% of the interviewees felt they have never or rarely have been discriminated on social participation contexts.

However, according to the EUROBAROMETER survey on discrimination carried out in 2012[3], disability was pointed out by Portuguese people as the second major cause of discrimination on overall settings and also in what regards to labour market.

2.  Work and employment – Portuguese policies aiming at promoting active inclusion of persons with disabilities

Work and employment are key components of the policy and system, with a significant   support scheme, in terms of legal definitions, technical structures and financial resources.

The policy includes:

• General support measures, with positive discrimination for persons with disabilities, as for some other disadvantaged groups, when appropriated.
• The Employment and Qualification Support Program for Persons with Disabilities, the governmental instrument to implement active inclusion of persons with disabilities, containing complementary specific/specialized measures:
• Qualification (vocational educational and training) support

 

• Access, retention and return to work support in the open labour market
  • Assessment and guidance
  • Job placement and follow-up placement support
  • Job adaptation and elimination of architectural barriers

 

• Supported employment
  • Insertion internships
  • Insertion-employment contracts
  • Sheltered workshops
  • Supported employment in open labour market

 

• Assistive products to facilitate both access to vocational training and access, maintenance and progression in career/ employment

Employers can also benefit from exemption and/or reduction of social security contributions owed by themselves.

Those who can benefit from those supports are:

• Persons with disabilities
• Employers – private, and public, except the ones under the State direct administration
• Rehabilitation centres, and specialized resource centres promoting  vocational training and support to employment

The professional qualification and employment support of persons with disabilities is under the responsibility of the public agency in charge of the national policy of vocational training and employment- Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional (IEFP) – mainstreaming approach.

Since February 2019, due to a national new regulation, medium (75 > 250 workers) and large (250 or more workers) sized employers are obliged to assure quotas for workers with disabilities.