Sweden

Sweden’s national objective of disability is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which defines PwD as " those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others."

The Law regulating Support and Service to Persons with Certain Functional Disabilities (2014) functions as "an entitlement law and entails supplementary support for persons with significant and long-term functional disabilities.”The goals set as part of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals is an important part of Sweden's commitment to disability legislation.

To achieve the national goal of having equal living conditions and full participation in society for people with disabilities the implementation of disability policy will target four areas:

– the principle of universal design

– accessibility shortcomings

– individual support and solutions for individual independence

– preventing and countering discrimination

Reference: Disability Policy in Sweden – An overview (mfd.se)

Under the Discrimination Act (2008:567), an employer cannot (directly or indirectly) discriminate against an employee or a job applicant (or a member of another protected category (see below) on the basis of disability. The Discrimination Act also defines inadequate accessibility as a form of discrimination. This is when a person with a disability is disadvantaged through a failure to take reasonable accessibility measures to put him/her in a comparable position to people without such a disability.

The Public Transport Act (2010) initiates regulations to make Swedish public transport by road, rail, water, tramway and metro more accessible.

"In Sweden, people with disabilities are generally seen as equal members of society and should be included in all aspects of life. There is a belief in Sweden that society should be designed to accommodate everyone, regardless of their physical abilities.

However, this does not mean that discrimination against people with disabilities does not exist. In fact, there have been instances of discrimination and negative attitudes towards people with disabilities in Sweden. Some people still view disability as a personal tragedy or a burden on society, rather than as a natural part of the human condition."

Reference: Sweden - Disability - Expat Focus

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2021-03-31 states that in 2020, “the employment rate among persons with disabilities was 67 percent, compared with 77 percent in the population as a whole."

Reference: Proportion of employed persons smaller among person with disabilities (scb.se)

Additional content coming soon.

Few private talent sourcing resources exist in Sweden, but the Swedish Public Employment Service provides employers with funding for accommodation for their employees with disabilities. They also provide information on disability hiring in general for employers.

Law regulating Support and Service to Persons with Certain Functional Disabilities (2014)

‍Discrimination Act (2008:567)Public Transport Act (2010)