The report also highlights the progress made in the promotion of inclusive education, which has made possible the inclusion of 99% of the students with disabilities in mainstream schools and an increase of the number of students who attend lower secondary education and secondary education. However, the report, also points out the scarcity of resources allocated to the implementation of these policies, in particular with respect to the number of hours of technical support provided to students.
In the area of employment, the report also shows a strong growth in the number of persons with disabilities placed in the labor market, and a 6.7% reduction in short-term unemployment. Yet, between 2011 and 2016, the long-term unemployment (≥ 12 months) had an increase of around 60%.
Lastly, the report analyzes the availability of disability-related social services, revealing that the autonomous residences (“residências autónomas”), which are more congruent with a paradigm of human rights, remain a residual response, even in large urban centers, compared to the installed capacity of nursing homes.
This report - published on the 11th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (adopted by the UN on December 13, 2006 and ratified by Portugal in 2009) - sought to systematize information on the situation of persons with disabilities in Portugal, using existing national and international data sources, in order to draw indicators to measure the progress made in the fulfilment of human rights of persons with disabilities in Portugal.
Download full report (only available in Portuguese).