Support in Report Editing

Contract

This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.

One of every 10 people in the world has a disability — some 650 million worldwide. Approximately 470 million are of working age. While many are successfully employed and fully integrated into society, as a group, persons with disabilities often face disproportionate poverty and unemployment. Their social exclusion from the workplace deprives societies of an estimated US$ 1.37 to 1.94 trillion in annual loss in GDP . An estimated 80 percent of all persons with disabilities in the world live in rural areas of developing countries and have limited or no access to services they need. Thus, providing decent work for people with disabilities makes social as well as economic sense. In the world of work, persons with disabilities tend to experience high unemployment and have lower earnings than persons without disabilities. They are often relegated to low-level, low-paid jobs with little social and legal security or segregated from the mainstream labour market. Many are underemployed. This affects their self-confidence, many become discouraged and drop out.

Based on the 2015 Population and Housing Census, among the population 5 years and over, the overall prevalence of disabilities was 2.8 percent. In total, 160,881 people in Lao PDR were found to have a disability, based on the disability monograph published in 2015. Persons with disabilities were much less likely to be employed than persons without disabilities, 46.51 percent versus 68.38 percent. This showed that every day, persons with disabilities in Lao PDR face barriers that exclude them from employment opportunities as well as in the workplaces, and these barriers do not just affect persons with disabilities, they affect the whole country because excluding persons with disabilities from the world of work can rob countries of as much as 7 percent of Gross Domestic Product.

To increase employment opportunities for persons with disabilities as well as promote inclusive employment, in 2022 UNDP Lao PDR hired an international consultant to conduct a research study to understand the current situation of persons with disabilities with regard to employment, including policy recommendations to strengthen inclusive employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Lao PDR. A report has been drafted, unfortunately, the report is too long (75 pages). To that end, we are seeking the support of Online Volunteer to edit the report into a concise policy document.

We are looking for one online volunteer to support us in editing the draft report on “Employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Lao PDR”.

The online volunteer is expected to:

• Edit the 75 page report into a short, interactive policy document of around 10-15 pages;

• The policy document must provide clear recommendations for the Government of Lao PDR and link to the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recommendations, particularly (Article 27: Work and Employment) as a basis for policy change;

• Receive comments and feedback from the Governance Unit team and finalize the short report.

Qualifications and experience: • Advanced university degree in the Social Sciences or a related field • At least 2 years of relevant professional experience • Proven experience in producing research publications and/or policy briefs • Previous experience in copy-editing will be an asset • Familiarity with United Nations report writing requirements • Experience in disability inclusion, inclusive employment, social-economic empowerment, and livelihoods for persons with disabilities • Experience in research/study on inclusive employment for persons with disabilities would be an asset

Competencies: • Strong research and excellent writing skills in English • High proficiency in the use of Word application • Excellent organizational skills • Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure • Strong interpersonal skills, able to communicate and work with diverse people