As development has moved forward, people with disabilities have too often been left behind. How far behind? The unemployment rate of people with disabilities is a staggering 80-90 percent in most developing countries, according to a study by the International Labour Organization.

In northern Uganda, some women with disabilities told me they were not invited to join government-funded livelihood projects because of their disabilities. Others said that they were expelled from these livelihood projects over beliefs they could not contribute. There were no processes in place to monitor grants or ensure they weren’t discriminating against people with disabilities.

Employed people with disabilities also face discrimination, routinely work longer hours, and receive less pay. They are far more likely to work in the informal sector, with less security and limited opportunities for promotion.

Employed people with disabilities also face discrimination, routinely work longer hours, and receive less pay.

This is not only an issue of the equal right to employment; the exclusion of people with disabilities from education, jobs, and healthcare generates significant economic costs to individuals, their families, and the wider society.

For example, one study in Bangladesh indicated the exclusion of people with disabilities from the labor market resulted in a total loss of US$891 million per year to the economy; income losses among adult caregivers was an additional $234 million per year. In Morocco, lost income due to exclusion of people with disabilities from work was estimated to result in a loss of more than $1 billion, or 2 percent of GDP.

Still, the perception remains that inclusive development is simply too expensive, especially in low- and middle-income countries. But growing evidence indicates this is not the case. For example, despite some initial costs for adapting the work place, there is evidence that employees with disabilities have lower rates of absenteeism, higher rates of retention, and performance on par or superior to those without disabilities. India’s largest timepiece manufacturer, Titan, reported their employees with disabilities had greater company loyalty and focus at work. They also had equivalent productivity levels and quality of work, compared with employees without disabilities.

If governments are serious about Sustainable Development Goal 8 – on promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth – they should address the structural barriers that limit people with disabilities from employment, such as lack of accessible buildings and public transport, exclusion from education, and deep-seated stigma and discrimination about the capabilities of people with disabilities. Governments also have a responsibility to ensure that no new investments are used to build new barriers for people with disabilities.

The commitment of “leaving no one behind” should equally benefit the 1 billion people with disabilities worldwide, including 785 million of working age. The goal of economic growth will remain elusive if millions of people with disabilities continue to be left behind.