Impacts of vocational training for persons with disabilities: Experimental evidence from Cambodia

This paper examines the impacts of vocational training for persons with disabilities (PWDs). In heavily mined areas of rural Cambodia, adults with limb amputation or paralysis were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (invited to participate in an intensive training program in mechanics and services) or a control group (not invited to participate). Over 30% of PWDs in the treatment group participated in the program and none in the control group did so. Although being assigned to the treatment group greatly increased PWDs’ employment and earnings, experiences of discrimination reported by them and their disability stigma (self-stigmatization) also increased. The paper shows suggestive evidence for skill acquisition and networking for employment and negative self-stereotyping leading to stigma.