* Inactivity rates of Polish workers with disabilities tend to be muchhigher than in other countries. , the country has the highest levelof disability in Europe, with some 2.38 million people withdisabilities in working age. This means that one in ten people inworking age have a certified disability.

*the participation of people with disabilities in the open labourforce tends to be considerably lower than that of other workers.Only 38 per cent of people with disabilities of working age were inemployment in Poland, The global study refers to the significantgrowth in domestic anti-discrimination laws in recent years,however, the fact that the law exists doesn’t mean that theemployers follow it.

* In countries like Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic thesheltered employment is characterized by declines. We find thatmost of the people working in sheltered employment are aged 25-44, except in Poland, where almost 60% of those employed insheltered workshops are aged over 45 Most of the countries havebeen characterized by an increase in the employment status ofpeople with disabilities with the exception of Poland and theCzech Republic.

*Concerning age, the highest share among unemployed people

with disabilities is in the age group of above 45. The

breakdown by type of disability, for Poland, indicates that

the unemployed are mostly those with mental and

intellectual handicaps

*New vocational training and rehabilitation programmes have

been put into practice with the purpose of helping people

with disabilities to enter the labour market. Different funds

and subsidies are offered to employers to encourage the

employment of people with disabilities and to adapt the

infrastructure at the place of work for this purpose.

*Labour Office provides a one-off contribution to employers

who create jobs reserved for people with disabilities in

sheltered workshops or other sheltered workplaces. There

are also contributions for operational costs and public

authorities offer tax advantages.

*People with disabilities can represent a significant addition to the labour force and that way contribute to economic production. Many EU Member States have made an effort to break down the discrimination barriers with respect to disability and to consider these people as an integral part of society and the workforce

*Barriers the disabled people meet

*health,

*education,

*employment,

*transport,

* information access,

*housing,

* less economic participation,

*higher rate of poverty,

*poorer health outcomes

Basic disability etiquette

*Don’t lean on or touch a person's wheelchair, cane or

crutches. These products are part of the space that

belongs to the person who uses it. Use a chair, whenever

possible, in order to place yourself at the person's eye

level to facilitate conversation.

*People with limited hand use or who wear a prosthetic

limb can usually shake hands. Shaking hands with the left

hand is acceptable.

*To get the attention of a person with a hearing disability,

tap the person on the shoulder or wave your hand. Look

directly at the person and speak clearly, naturally and

slowly to establish if the person can read lips. Face a good

light source and keep your hands away from your mouth

when speaking.

* Do not pretend to understand what a person is saying if you do not. Tryrephrasing what you wish to communicate, or ask the person to repeat what youdo not understand.

* A Service Animal is any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individuallytrained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability regardless ofwhether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government

* Do not touch or pet the Service Animal, without permission.

* Do not make noises at the Service Animal, it may distract the animal from doingits job.

* Do not feed the Service Animal, it may disrupt his/her schedule.

* The person may not feel like discussing the assistance the Service Animalprovides.

European Disability Strategy for 2010-2020 Nothing about disabled peoplewithout disabled people

* One of the major goals:

* Include more disabled people into the labor market by social and employmentrehabilitation

* Make the people with disabilities more Aware of their exclusion

* work on the Negative approach towards the disabled, the belief of inability todo tasks

* Reduce the high unemployment rate

Polish Humanitarian Action

Our mission is to make the world abetter place by alleviating humansuffering and promoting humanitarianvalues. The work of any of uscontributes to saving people’s lives.

Janina Ochojska is the founder andpresident of PAH. She is an extremelymodest woman, an unquestionedauthority in the field of humanitarianaid. She was born on 12 March 1955 inGdańsk She is an astronomer andjournalist by She has always been anactive community worker. Her aim inlife has always been helping others Shewas diagnosed with polio and had anoperation in France in 1984. There shefirst encountered the idea of ahumanitarian organisation – EquiLibre,where she worked as a volunteer. Shecoordinated the French medical andfood aid for Polish hospitals and sheorganised support convoys to Bosnia.