Employment of people with disabilities in Uzbekistan is increasing, but remains low compared to the rest of the population. Key issues include a high share of informal work, low job quality, and systemic barriers, according to a new report from the Social Policy Laboratory under the National Social Protection Agency.
As of early 2026, the country registered 1.06 million people with disabilities. In 2025, the employment rate for people with disabilities was 24.7%, compared to 59.2% for those without disabilities, a gap of 34.5 percentage points. The situation is gradually improving: employment rose from 18.2% in 2022 to 24.7% in 2025. The number of employed increased from 72,000 in 2023 to 234,000 in 2025.
Among men, the employment rate reached 30.4%, while among women it was only 16.4%. In rural areas, the rate was 27.1%, compared to 22% in urban areas. The highest employment rate was recorded in the 35-44 age group at 30.5%.
Researchers note that a significant portion of people with disabilities work in the informal sector. Among youth, the share of informal employment reaches 40%, and among women, 88%. Such jobs are often characterized by low pay, lack of social guarantees, and limited career advancement opportunities.
Employment of people with disabilities is unevenly distributed across sectors. The largest share is in construction — 17.5%. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing account for 13.6%, transport and storage for 12.5%. Wholesale and retail trade, including vehicle repair, employs 10.8%, education 10.4%, industry 9.7%, and healthcare and social services 6.1%.
The lowest employment is in hotels and catering — 3.8%, public administration and defense — 3.3%, and other services — 3.1%. Researchers emphasize that people with disabilities most often find work in sectors dominated by physical labor and high informal employment.
Experts identify institutional, infrastructural, legal, and social barriers, as well as gender and territorial factors, as main obstacles to employment. Key challenges include low job quality, insufficient accessibility of transport and buildings, dominance of informal employment, public stereotypes, and systemic barriers.
To boost employment of people with disabilities, the government has introduced a system of subsidies for employers to create and adapt workplaces.
Source: podrobno.uz