Brazil disability inclusion: Employment and income gaps persist

Recent data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and various industry surveys highlight significant socioeconomic disparities for people with disabilities (PwD) in Brazil. Approximately 7.3% of the Brazilian population, or 14.4 million people, live with some form of disability.

Employment remains a critical challenge. The occupation rate for PwD is 29%, significantly lower than the 55% recorded for those without disabilities. Furthermore, income inequality is stark; PwD earn an average monthly income of R$ 2,053, which is roughly 71% of the average income of people without disabilities.

In the corporate sector, a survey by the startup Egalite reveals that while inclusion efforts are growing, leadership roles remain scarce. Only 1.5% of vacancies designated for PwD are for technical or managerial positions, with 98.5% of available roles being operational.

Conversely, there are signs of progress in neurodiversity inclusion. Data from the Gupy platform shows a 66% increase in the hiring of neurodivergent professionals in Brazil over the last two years, with March 2024 marking a record high for monthly admissions. Experts attribute this to increased awareness, adult diagnoses, and the implementation of neuroinclusive recruitment processes.