Participation in Society of People with Disabilities

Background

In 2006, the United Nations drafted the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which established standards for the equality of people with disabilities, for their active and independent participation in society, and for accessibility and decision-making regarding their lives. Israel has progressive legislation regarding equality for people with disabilities that addresses numerous areas of life. This legislation is the result of international influences and local advocacy efforts. However, despite the initiatives and legislation to promote the participation of people with disabilities in society, gaps between people with and without disabilities still exist in all areas of life. The Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Ministry of Justice commissioned a study from the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute to examine the areas of life that are central to participation in society (according to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) from the perspective of persons with disabilities.

Objectives

1. To provide an overview of participation in society by people with disabilities in Israel across various areas of life from the perspective of people with disabilities:
   1. Among people with disabilities compared with people without disabilities.
   2. Among the Arab population compared with the Jewish population
2. To examine the attitudes and perceptions of people without disabilities regarding participation in society by people with disabilities.

Method

A telephone survey, in Hebrew and Arabic, was carried out among Israelis aged 20 and over between August 2022 and March 2023. The sample population included 15,000 individuals. 1,345 individuals responded to the questionnaire: 658 (49%) people with disabilities and 687 (51%) people without disabilities (a response rate of approximately 9%). Of the respondents, 421 (31%) were from the Arab population (212 with disabilities and 209 without) and 924 (69%) were from the Jewish population (446 with disabilities and 478 without).  A new tool was developed for the survey to identify people with disabilities. In addition, two questionnaires (an in-depth questionnaire and a control questionnaire) were developed, using focus groups of people with disabilities and other means. A professional steering committee of the Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which includes people with disabilities and professionals who have broad knowledge in the field, accompanied the research process.

 Main Findings

This report presents current data on the disparities between people with and without disabilities across all areas of life, including education, employment, digital literacy, and the utilization of healthcare services. Disparities between people with and without disabilities were found in various areas of life among the Arab population as well. In some areas, the gaps between people with and without disabilities among the Arab population were larger than among the Jewish population, such as in education and employment.

The study identified several social barriers that need to be addressed to reduce disparities between people with and without disabilities:

• From 4% to 34% of people without disabilities do not agree to have a person with disability involved in their lives. For example, 34% of people without disabilities do not agree to have a person with disability as their roommate, and 15% do not agree to have him or her as a work colleague. People without disabilities were more willing to accept the involvement of people with sensory or physical disabilities in their lives than of those with autism, mental disability, or cognitive-intellectual disability.
• People with disabilities who finished high school and wanted to pursue post-secondary education but did not do so cited their disability or health status and a lack of adequate accessibility adjustments as barriers. 56% of people with disabilities who pursued post-secondary education felt they needed accessibility adjustments from the educational institution but did not receive them; an additional 20% reported that they were not aware of the possibility of receiving accessibility adjustments.
• Working-aged people with disabilities who were not employed and were looking for work reported factors that might help them begin to work: assistance in the job search (29%), flexibility or accommodation with respect to work hours (22%), and guidance and support during the initial phases of employment (17%).
• In recent years, policies have been promoted to make public spaces and public services accessible to people with disabilities. Nonetheless, 14% to 28% of people with disabilities reported that services or activities are not accessible to them.