Volume 25, Issue 99 (1-2026)
refahj 2026, 25(99): 0-0 |
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Ethics code: IR.USWR.REC.1403.069
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Fazli Alanegh S, Hatamizadeh N, Sajjadi H. (2026). Economic Empowerment of People with Disabilities: Factors Identification. refahj. 25(99), : 4 doi:10.32598/refahj.25.99.2896.1
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URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4449-en.html
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Extended Abstract
Introduction
Approximately 16% of the global population lives with a disability (WHO, 2022). People with disabilities face a heightened risk of poverty (Palmer, 2011), often experiencing social exclusion, rights deprivation, and limited access to economic, social, and human development opportunities (Cobley, 2012). Poverty itself can exacerbate disability risks due to inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, limited healthcare access, and hazardous living conditions (Cobley, 2012). While the economic deprivation of people with disabilities is frequently documented (Cobley, 2012; Mitra, Posarac, & Vick, 2013), few studies have specifically addressed their economic empowerment, with existing literature predominantly focusing on women.
This study aimed to identify and systematize the factors critical to the economic empowerment of people with disabilities. The goal was to develop a comprehensive framework to inform future planning and evaluation of empowerment programs.
Methods
The study was conducted in two phases.
Phase 1 – Systematic Literature Review: A systematic search of English and Persian literature was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, IDEAS, SID, and Irandoc databases. Keywords included: disability/disabilities, economic empowerment, financial independence, economic independence, and poverty alleviation.
Phase 2 – Delphi Expert Consensus: A panel of 14 experts was formed, comprising academic scholars, managers from the State Welfare Organization, and successful entrepreneurs with disabilities. After obtaining informed consent, three consecutive Delphi rounds were administered via email. Panelists evaluated the importance of factors identified in the literature, suggested additional factors, and reviewed the proposed organizational framework and an expanded definition of economic empowerment formulated by the research team.
Data were analyzed using fuzzy analysis (Mir & Rashidpoor, 2019). A factor was deemed important if its mean definite fuzzy score from the Delphi panel was ≥ 0.5.
Ethical approval was granted by the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences (IR.USWR.REC.1403.069).
Findings
Of 143 initially identified articles, 24 were relevant. The literature review yielded 29 potential factors. The Delphi panel proposed an additional 21 factors. Through fuzzy analysis, 48 of these 50 factors were confirmed as important (importance score range: 0.51–1.00; mean: 0.727).
The three highest-ranked factors were: 1) possession of specialized job skills, 2) an empowering mindset free from limiting beliefs, and 3) the ability to start online/internet-based businesses.
These 48 factors were organized into 12 components across three overarching domains:
The Person with a Disability: Health, knowledge, attitude, skills, talent.
Context & Empowering Environment: Physical, social, and business environments; resource accessibility.
Outcomes: Employment, social outcomes, economic outcomes.
The Delphi panel also consensus on an expanded definition of economic empowerment for people with disabilities: A process that enhances the domains of the “person,” “enabling social and physical environments,” and “economic conditions,” enabling individuals to play a more significant role in their community’s economic cycle. It entails the ability to earn income, manage financial assets, and make autonomous financial decisions. At advanced levels, it includes participation in community economic decision-making and control.
Discussion
This study proposes a three-domain, twelve-component framework for understanding the economic empowerment of people with disabilities.
The «person with a disability» domain underscores that health (physical, mental, social), knowledge (education, economic, managerial), skills, talent, and attitude are foundational. For people with disabilities, addressing health and rehabilitation needs is particularly crucial to acquiring future economic capabilities (Moshir Estekhareh et al., 2023; D’Aguilar, 2019).
The “context and empowering environment” domain highlights indispensable external factors. This includes accessible physical and work environments (Barzegar et al., 2022; Kamyar Rad et al., 2022), a supportive social environment (family attitudes, inclusive policies, intersectoral cooperation), and the availability of tailored resources like job counseling and vocational training (Ofuani, 2011). Recognizing and focusing on abilities, rather than disabilities, builds the self-confidence necessary for economic engagement (Kuipers, 2013).
The “outcomes” domain represents the tangible results of empowerment: access to financial resources (through employment, savings, microfinance) and social capital (via cooperatives, self-help groups). Studies from the United States (Balcazar et al., 2014) and Indonesia (Ulum, 2024) corroborate the empowering effect of online businesses and cooperative engagement.
Conclusion
Successful economic empowerment initiatives must adopt a holistic approach, simultaneously addressing factors across all three domains :the individual, the environment, and the desired outcomes. The framework developed in this study provides a practical tool for designing, implementing, and evaluating such comprehensive programs for people with disabilities.
Ethical Considerations
Authors’ Contributions
All authors have made substantial contributions to this study.
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Introduction
Approximately 16% of the global population lives with a disability (WHO, 2022). People with disabilities face a heightened risk of poverty (Palmer, 2011), often experiencing social exclusion, rights deprivation, and limited access to economic, social, and human development opportunities (Cobley, 2012). Poverty itself can exacerbate disability risks due to inadequate nutrition, poor sanitation, limited healthcare access, and hazardous living conditions (Cobley, 2012). While the economic deprivation of people with disabilities is frequently documented (Cobley, 2012; Mitra, Posarac, & Vick, 2013), few studies have specifically addressed their economic empowerment, with existing literature predominantly focusing on women.
This study aimed to identify and systematize the factors critical to the economic empowerment of people with disabilities. The goal was to develop a comprehensive framework to inform future planning and evaluation of empowerment programs.
Methods
The study was conducted in two phases.
Phase 1 – Systematic Literature Review: A systematic search of English and Persian literature was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, IDEAS, SID, and Irandoc databases. Keywords included: disability/disabilities, economic empowerment, financial independence, economic independence, and poverty alleviation.
Phase 2 – Delphi Expert Consensus: A panel of 14 experts was formed, comprising academic scholars, managers from the State Welfare Organization, and successful entrepreneurs with disabilities. After obtaining informed consent, three consecutive Delphi rounds were administered via email. Panelists evaluated the importance of factors identified in the literature, suggested additional factors, and reviewed the proposed organizational framework and an expanded definition of economic empowerment formulated by the research team.
Data were analyzed using fuzzy analysis (Mir & Rashidpoor, 2019). A factor was deemed important if its mean definite fuzzy score from the Delphi panel was ≥ 0.5.
Ethical approval was granted by the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences (IR.USWR.REC.1403.069).
Findings
Of 143 initially identified articles, 24 were relevant. The literature review yielded 29 potential factors. The Delphi panel proposed an additional 21 factors. Through fuzzy analysis, 48 of these 50 factors were confirmed as important (importance score range: 0.51–1.00; mean: 0.727).
The three highest-ranked factors were: 1) possession of specialized job skills, 2) an empowering mindset free from limiting beliefs, and 3) the ability to start online/internet-based businesses.
These 48 factors were organized into 12 components across three overarching domains:
The Person with a Disability: Health, knowledge, attitude, skills, talent.
Context & Empowering Environment: Physical, social, and business environments; resource accessibility.
Outcomes: Employment, social outcomes, economic outcomes.
The Delphi panel also consensus on an expanded definition of economic empowerment for people with disabilities: A process that enhances the domains of the “person,” “enabling social and physical environments,” and “economic conditions,” enabling individuals to play a more significant role in their community’s economic cycle. It entails the ability to earn income, manage financial assets, and make autonomous financial decisions. At advanced levels, it includes participation in community economic decision-making and control.
Discussion
This study proposes a three-domain, twelve-component framework for understanding the economic empowerment of people with disabilities.
The «person with a disability» domain underscores that health (physical, mental, social), knowledge (education, economic, managerial), skills, talent, and attitude are foundational. For people with disabilities, addressing health and rehabilitation needs is particularly crucial to acquiring future economic capabilities (Moshir Estekhareh et al., 2023; D’Aguilar, 2019).
The “context and empowering environment” domain highlights indispensable external factors. This includes accessible physical and work environments (Barzegar et al., 2022; Kamyar Rad et al., 2022), a supportive social environment (family attitudes, inclusive policies, intersectoral cooperation), and the availability of tailored resources like job counseling and vocational training (Ofuani, 2011). Recognizing and focusing on abilities, rather than disabilities, builds the self-confidence necessary for economic engagement (Kuipers, 2013).
The “outcomes” domain represents the tangible results of empowerment: access to financial resources (through employment, savings, microfinance) and social capital (via cooperatives, self-help groups). Studies from the United States (Balcazar et al., 2014) and Indonesia (Ulum, 2024) corroborate the empowering effect of online businesses and cooperative engagement.
Conclusion
Successful economic empowerment initiatives must adopt a holistic approach, simultaneously addressing factors across all three domains :the individual, the environment, and the desired outcomes. The framework developed in this study provides a practical tool for designing, implementing, and evaluating such comprehensive programs for people with disabilities.
Ethical Considerations
Authors’ Contributions
All authors have made substantial contributions to this study.
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Balcazar, F., Kuchak, J., Dimpfl, S., Sariepella, V., & Alvarado, F. (2014). An empowerment model of entrepreneurship for people with disabilities in the United States. Psychosocial Intervention, 23(2), 145-150.https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=1873476
Cobley, D. S. (2012). Towards economic empowerment: Segregation versus inclusion in the Kenyan context. Disability & Society, 27(3), 371-384. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ961501
D’Aguilar, A. (2019). Young adults with disabilities financial skills and goals: A mixed methods strengths and needs assessment. (PhD), Virginia Commonwealth Universit. Retrieved from https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/5942
Kamyar Rad, S., Kamyar, G., & Kamyar Rad, S. (2022). Right to the Safe City in Human Rights and Iranian law. Journal of Legal Research, 21(51), 177-202. doi:https://www.doi.org/10.48300/jlr.2022.160775
Kuipers, P. (2013). Empowerment in Community-based Rehabilitation and Disability-inclusive Development.Disability, CBR and Inclusive Development Journal (DCID), 24(4), 24-42. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.5463/DCID.v24i4.274
Mir, S., & Rashidpoor, A. (2019). Prioritizing the describing factors in promoting brand personality using fuzzy Delphi technique. Consumer Behavior Studies Journal, 6(2), 134-138. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.34785/J018.2019.978
Mitra, S., Poarac, A., & Vick, B. (2013). Disability and Poverty in Developing Countries: A Multidimensional Study. World Development, 41(1). doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.05.024
Moshir Estekhareh, Z. S., Navabakhsh, M., & Vosoghi, M. (2023). Factors affecting family empowerment of vulnerable young women in Tehran. Strategic Studies on Youth and Sports, 22(60), 529-549. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.22034/ssys.2022.2187.2561 [In Persian]
Palmer, M. (2011). Disability and poverty: A conceptual review. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 21(4), 210-218. https://www.ahrlj.up.ac.za/ofuani-ai-2011
Ulum, B., Firmansyah, M., Hasan, Z., & Halili, H. (2024). Economic Empowerment of People Through Development of Sharia Cooperatives in Rural Communities. Sahwahita: Community Engagement Journal, 2(1), 11-20. https://e-journal.bustanul-ulum.id/index.php/Sahwahita/article/download/79/66
WHO. (2022). Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases
Cobley, D. S. (2012). Towards economic empowerment: Segregation versus inclusion in the Kenyan context. Disability & Society, 27(3), 371-384. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ961501
D’Aguilar, A. (2019). Young adults with disabilities financial skills and goals: A mixed methods strengths and needs assessment. (PhD), Virginia Commonwealth Universit. Retrieved from https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/5942
Kamyar Rad, S., Kamyar, G., & Kamyar Rad, S. (2022). Right to the Safe City in Human Rights and Iranian law. Journal of Legal Research, 21(51), 177-202. doi:https://www.doi.org/10.48300/jlr.2022.160775
Kuipers, P. (2013). Empowerment in Community-based Rehabilitation and Disability-inclusive Development.Disability, CBR and Inclusive Development Journal (DCID), 24(4), 24-42. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.5463/DCID.v24i4.274
Mir, S., & Rashidpoor, A. (2019). Prioritizing the describing factors in promoting brand personality using fuzzy Delphi technique. Consumer Behavior Studies Journal, 6(2), 134-138. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.34785/J018.2019.978
Mitra, S., Poarac, A., & Vick, B. (2013). Disability and Poverty in Developing Countries: A Multidimensional Study. World Development, 41(1). doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.05.024
Moshir Estekhareh, Z. S., Navabakhsh, M., & Vosoghi, M. (2023). Factors affecting family empowerment of vulnerable young women in Tehran. Strategic Studies on Youth and Sports, 22(60), 529-549. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.22034/ssys.2022.2187.2561 [In Persian]
Palmer, M. (2011). Disability and poverty: A conceptual review. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 21(4), 210-218. https://www.ahrlj.up.ac.za/ofuani-ai-2011
Ulum, B., Firmansyah, M., Hasan, Z., & Halili, H. (2024). Economic Empowerment of People Through Development of Sharia Cooperatives in Rural Communities. Sahwahita: Community Engagement Journal, 2(1), 11-20. https://e-journal.bustanul-ulum.id/index.php/Sahwahita/article/download/79/66
WHO. (2022). Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases
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Received: 2025/03/11 | Accepted: 2025/12/10 | Published: 2026/01/27
Received: 2025/03/11 | Accepted: 2025/12/10 | Published: 2026/01/27
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