3.3 Disability in Estonia

According to the data of the Social Insurance Board, as of December 31, 2021, Estonia had a total of 133,007 disabled people. Disabled people make up nearly 11% of Estonia’s total population. However, struggles with the legacies of the previous system - in which people with disabilities were hidden from society - remain.

In this episode, host Terry McDonald talks to Meelis Joost, Chairman, the Estonian Chamber of Disabled People, about the evolution of the rights of persons with disabilities over the years and the current state of disability accommodation and inclusivity, and to Paul-Markus Orav, a Master's student of Open Society Technologies at Tallinn University, about the disability awareness events that took place in November and their impact on the disability community in Estonia. We also talk about how the quality of life for disabled people in Estonia has improved over the years, how you can help people with disabilities, and how disabled people can get the support they need to feel included and safe.