Disability Issues and the ILO Disability Issues and the ILO in Asia and the Pacificin Asia and the Pacific

Debra A. Perry Debra A. Perry Senior Specialist in Vocational Senior Specialist in Vocational Rehabilitation for Asia and the Rehabilitation for Asia and the Pacific ILO BangkokPacific ILO Bangkok

An Informal Brown Bag Lunch Presentation and DialogueWorld Bank, Washington DC 14 April 2004

TopicsTopics

1.1. ILO ILO

2.2. Regional overviewRegional overview

3.3. ILO activitiesILO activities RegionalRegional HeadquartersHeadquarters

4.4. DiscussionDiscussion

The ILOThe ILO

Specialized UN agencySpecialized UN agency Formed in 1919; joined UNFormed in 1919; joined UN Promotes social justice by improving working Promotes social justice by improving working

conditions conditions Tripartite membershipTripartite membership Headquarters in GenevaHeadquarters in Geneva Asia Pacific regional office in BangkokAsia Pacific regional office in Bangkok 12 country offices in the region12 country offices in the region Technical Agency Technical Agency Primary Goal: Promote Decent WorkPrimary Goal: Promote Decent Work

Decent Work: Decent Work: More and Better More and Better JobsJobs

Decent Work: Decent Work: More and Better More and Better JobsJobs

Productive Work in conditions of:Productive Work in conditions of:

– FreedomFreedom

– EquityEquity

– SecuritySecurity

– Human DignityHuman Dignity

ILO Means of ActionILO Means of Action

KnowledgeKnowledge

AdvocacyAdvocacy

Technical CooperationTechnical Cooperation

Decent work for all - non-discriminationDecent work for all - non-discrimination Government policyGovernment policy Equal treatmentEqual treatment Equal opportunityEqual opportunity Community participationCommunity participation Tripartite consultations Tripartite consultations Involvement of disabled persons and Involvement of disabled persons and

NGOsNGOs Mainstreaming in training and Mainstreaming in training and

employment, whenever possibleemployment, whenever possible Special measuresSpecial measures Involve all disability groups, women and Involve all disability groups, women and

men, rural and urbanmen, rural and urban

The ILO and People with Disabilities: Summary of Basic Principles

Regional DiversityRegional DiversityRegional DiversityRegional Diversity

Barriers to Decent Work Barriers to Decent Work

Lack of policy

support

Lack of trained and unbiased personnel

Lack of support services and information geared to their needs

Unequal access toeducation, training and employment services

Negative attitudes and stereotypes

Low self-esteem,

overprotective families

Lack of accessibility

Lack of accessibility

The Regional RealitiesThe Regional RealitiesThe Regional RealitiesThe Regional Realities

370 million people with disabilities370 million people with disabilities 238 million of working-age238 million of working-age Education unlikely: only 10 %Education unlikely: only 10 % Unemployment high: double, up to 87 %Unemployment high: double, up to 87 % Are among the poorest of the poorAre among the poorest of the poor Most reside in rural areas (80 % in Most reside in rural areas (80 % in

developing countries)developing countries) Major initiative to address challenges: Major initiative to address challenges:

Biwako Millennium FrameworkBiwako Millennium Framework

BMF For Action Towards an Inclusive, BMF For Action Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-Free and Rights-Based Society: Barrier-Free and Rights-Based Society: Priority AreasPriority Areas

BMF For Action Towards an Inclusive, BMF For Action Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-Free and Rights-Based Society: Barrier-Free and Rights-Based Society: Priority AreasPriority Areas

1. Self-Help Organizations1. Self-Help Organizations2. Women with Disabilities2. Women with Disabilities3.3. Early Detection, Early Intervention and Early Detection, Early Intervention and

EducationEducation

4. 4. Training and Employment, Training and Employment, including Self-Employmentincluding Self-Employment

5. Access to built environment and 5. Access to built environment and transportationtransportation

6. Access to Information6. Access to Information7. Poverty Alleviation7. Poverty Alleviation

BMF: TargetsBMF: TargetsBMF: TargetsBMF: Targets

By 2012 - 30% By 2012 - 30% signatories ratify ILO signatories ratify ILO Convention, 1983Convention, 1983

By 2012 - 30% of By 2012 - 30% of vocational training vocational training include PWDsinclude PWDs

By 2010 - reliable By 2010 - reliable data on employment data on employment of PWDsof PWDs

BMF: ActionsBMF: ActionsBMF: ActionsBMF: Actions

Collaborate with employers and trade unions, Collaborate with employers and trade unions, including forming partnershipsincluding forming partnerships

Establish a coordinating and evaluation body to Establish a coordinating and evaluation body to oversee inclusion of people with disabilities in oversee inclusion of people with disabilities in training and employment programmes training and employment programmes

Improve training and access to training and the Improve training and access to training and the necessary support services for inclusionnecessary support services for inclusion

Collect and disseminate good practicesCollect and disseminate good practices Establish hiring incentivesEstablish hiring incentives Demonstrate being a model employerDemonstrate being a model employer

ILO Means of ActionILO Means of Action

KnowledgeKnowledge

AdvocacyAdvocacy

Technical CooperationTechnical Cooperation

Knowledge: AP RegionKnowledge: AP Region

AbilityAsia AbilityAsia WebsiteWebsite 14 Country studies14 Country studies Surveys of employers and trade Surveys of employers and trade

unionsunions Regional meeting in 2003Regional meeting in 2003 Moving Forward: Toward Decent Moving Forward: Toward Decent

Work for People with Disabilities---Work for People with Disabilities---Examples of Good Practice from Examples of Good Practice from Asia and the PacificAsia and the Pacific

MF Example: Business MF Example: Business for/by People with for/by People with DisabilitiesDisabilities

MF Example: Business MF Example: Business for/by People with for/by People with DisabilitiesDisabilities

Rehabilitation Alliance of Hong Kongis a self-help group of more that 1,800 members representing all disability groups

• Purchased a 7-11 store.• Accommodations included extensive training and a job coach • Loan repaid in 3 years and won awards for excellence• Now owns three other stores

AdvocacyAdvocacy

Promotion of principles in ILO Convention 159, Promotion of principles in ILO Convention 159, Convention 111 and the Code of Practice for Convention 111 and the Code of Practice for Managing Diversity in the WorkplaceManaging Diversity in the Workplace

Production of two videos: Production of two videos: AbilityAsia AbilityAsia and and AbilityThailandAbilityThailand

Promotion of Biwako Millennium Framework towards Promotion of Biwako Millennium Framework towards and Inclusive, Rights-based and Barrier-free Societyand Inclusive, Rights-based and Barrier-free Society

Advocacy for inclusion of disability issues within Advocacy for inclusion of disability issues within mainstream ILO projects mainstream ILO projects

Development Corporation of Ireland project assisting Development Corporation of Ireland project assisting China and Thailand in legislative and policy issuesChina and Thailand in legislative and policy issues

Advocacy with social partners, especially employersAdvocacy with social partners, especially employers

Example: Business Example: Business Approach Approach Example: Business Example: Business Approach Approach

Articulated in Articulated in Unlocking Potential Unlocking Potential and and AbilityAsiaAbilityAsia

Managing diversity is a Managing diversity is a major factor in major factor in efficiency, productivity efficiency, productivity and overall successand overall success

Good workersGood workers Improved team workImproved team work People with disabilities People with disabilities

are customersare customers

Technical CooperationTechnical Cooperation

Informal SectorInformal SectorAlleviating Poverty through Peer Training Alleviating Poverty through Peer Training project in Cambodiaproject in CambodiaInformal Economy and other ILO projectsInformal Economy and other ILO projects

Formal SectorFormal SectorWorking with employers in several countries Working with employers in several countries and collectivelyand collectively

National meetings on disability issues (Nepal, National meetings on disability issues (Nepal, Mongolia, Thailand, India, Vietnam etc.)Mongolia, Thailand, India, Vietnam etc.)

National technical assistanceNational technical assistance Social partnersSocial partners

Example: Income Example: Income Generation/Poverty Alleviation Generation/Poverty Alleviation

Village-based training Village-based training Successful entrepreneurs Successful entrepreneurs

are trainersare trainers Skills based on market Skills based on market

needs needs Learn technical and Learn technical and

business skills business skills Grants, loans, start-up Grants, loans, start-up

supportsupport Successful trainees become Successful trainees become

trainerstrainers Follow-up to ensure successFollow-up to ensure success

Alleviating Poverty through Peer Training

(APPT), Cambodia

32 year old Tok Vanna gave up begging when he learned to sell books from Sem Sovantha. He now earns about $65 per month

2004/5 Plans: Regional2004/5 Plans: Regional

Final dissemination of country studiesFinal dissemination of country studies Update, expand and improve Update, expand and improve

accessibility of Web siteaccessibility of Web site Continued technical assistance to Continued technical assistance to

governmentsgovernments Library of laws for the regionLibrary of laws for the region Video for trade unionsVideo for trade unions Additional support to employer initiativesAdditional support to employer initiatives Employment focused meeting Employment focused meeting Develop good practices among Develop good practices among

employersemployers Promote CAP-NET project/activitiesPromote CAP-NET project/activities

2004/5 Plans: Country-2004/5 Plans: Country-SpecificSpecific

Afghanistan: Disability Advisor postAfghanistan: Disability Advisor post Cambodia: Expand APPT; support Cambodia: Expand APPT; support

government capacity building effortsgovernment capacity building efforts China: Capacity building and awareness China: Capacity building and awareness

workshops; engage social partnersworkshops; engage social partners Indonesia: New initiatives based on Indonesia: New initiatives based on

needsneeds Iran: Support to disability advisory groupIran: Support to disability advisory group Laos: Capacity building and technical Laos: Capacity building and technical

support to legislative and policy initiativesupport to legislative and policy initiative

2004/5 Plans: Country-Specific 2004/5 Plans: Country-Specific (2)(2)

Mongolia: Support employer initiativeMongolia: Support employer initiative Philippines: New initiatives based on Philippines: New initiatives based on

needsneeds Sri Lanka: Technical support to initiative Sri Lanka: Technical support to initiative

of Employers’ Federation of Ceylonof Employers’ Federation of Ceylon Thailand: Technical support revision of the Thailand: Technical support revision of the

law, vocational assessment initiative and law, vocational assessment initiative and integrated employment service task forceintegrated employment service task force

Vietnam: Work toward inclusion of people Vietnam: Work toward inclusion of people with disabilities in ILO projectswith disabilities in ILO projects

Headquarters' Headquarters' InitiativesInitiatives International Research Project on International Research Project on

Current Practices in Skills Development Current Practices in Skills Development for Persons with Disabilitiesfor Persons with Disabilities

Community-Based Rehabilitation: Community-Based Rehabilitation: Strategies and Good Practices in Strategies and Good Practices in Vocational Skills Development of Youth Vocational Skills Development of Youth with Disabilitieswith Disabilities

Employment of People with Employment of People with Disabilities---The Impact of LegislationDisabilities---The Impact of Legislation

Websites/EmailWebsites/Email

www.ilo.orgwww.ilo.org

www.ilo.org/abilityasiawww.ilo.org/abilityasia

perry@ilo.orgperry@ilo.org

DiscussionDiscussion

What specific questions do you What specific questions do you have?have?

What are the WB’s in-country What are the WB’s in-country activities and points of entry on activities and points of entry on disability issues in the region?disability issues in the region?

How might we work together?How might we work together?