Disability Issues and the ILO in Asia and the Pacific Debra A. Perry Senior Specialist in Vocational Rehabilitation for Asia and the Pacific ILO Bangkok An Informal Brown Bag Lunch Presentation and Dialogue World Bank, Washington DC 14 April 2004

Topics 1.ILO 2.Regional overview 3.ILO activities Regional Regional Headquarters Headquarters 4.Discussion

The ILO Specialized UN agency Specialized UN agency Formed in 1919; joined UN Formed in 1919; joined UN Promotes social justice by improving working conditions Promotes social justice by improving working conditions Tripartite membership Tripartite membership Headquarters in Geneva Headquarters in Geneva Asia Pacific regional office in Bangkok Asia Pacific regional office in Bangkok 12 country offices in the region 12 country offices in the region Technical Agency Technical Agency Primary Goal: Promote Decent Work Primary Goal: Promote Decent Work

Decent Work: More and Better Jobs Decent Work: More and Better Jobs Productive Work in conditions of: –Freedom –Equity –Security –Human Dignity

ILO Means of Action Knowledge Knowledge Advocacy Advocacy Technical Cooperation Technical Cooperation

Decent work for all - non-discrimination Decent work for all - non-discrimination Government policy Government policy Equal treatment Equal treatment Equal opportunity Equal opportunity Community participation Community participation Tripartite consultations Tripartite consultations Involvement of disabled persons and NGOs Involvement of disabled persons and NGOs Mainstreaming in training and employment, whenever possible Mainstreaming in training and employment, whenever possible Special measures Special measures Involve all disability groups, women and men, rural and urban Involve all disability groups, women and men, rural and urban The ILO and People with Disabilities: Summary of Basic Principles

Regional Diversity

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 to education, training and employment services Negative attitudes and stereotypes Low self-esteem, overprotective families Lack of accessibility Lack of accessibility

The Regional Realities million people with disabilities million of working-age 3 Education unlikely: only 10 % 3 Unemployment high: double, up to 87 % 3 Are among the poorest of the poor 3 Most reside in rural areas (80 % in developing countries) 3 Major initiative to address challenges: Biwako Millennium Framework

BMF For Action Towards an Inclusive, Barrier- Free and Rights-Based Society: Priority Areas 1. Self-Help Organizations 2. Women with Disabilities 3. Early Detection, Early Intervention and Education 4. Training and Employment, including Self-Employment 5. Access to built environment and transportation 6. Access to Information 7. Poverty Alleviation

BMF: Targets By % signatories ratify ILO Convention, 1983 By % signatories ratify ILO Convention, 1983 By % of vocational training include PWDs By reliable data on employment of PWDs By reliable data on employment of PWDs

BMF: Actions Collaborate with employers and trade unions, including forming partnerships Collaborate with employers and trade unions, including forming partnerships Establish a coordinating and evaluation body to oversee inclusion of people with disabilities in training and employment programmes Establish a coordinating and evaluation body to oversee inclusion of people with disabilities in training and employment programmes Improve training and access to training and the necessary support services for inclusion Improve training and access to training and the necessary support services for inclusion Collect and disseminate good practices Collect and disseminate good practices Establish hiring incentives Establish hiring incentives Demonstrate being a model employer Demonstrate being a model employer

ILO Means of Action Knowledge Knowledge Advocacy Advocacy Technical Cooperation Technical Cooperation

Knowledge: AP Region AbilityAsia Website AbilityAsia Website 14 Country studies 14 Country studies Surveys of employers and trade unions Surveys of employers and trade unions Regional meeting in 2003 Regional meeting in 2003 Moving Forward: Toward Decent Work for People with Disabilities---Examples of Good Practice from Asia and the Pacific Moving Forward: Toward Decent Work for People with Disabilities---Examples of Good Practice from Asia and the Pacific

MF Example: Business for/by People with Disabilities Rehabilitation Alliance of Hong Kong is 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

Advocacy Promotion of principles in ILO Convention 159, Convention 111 and the Code of Practice for Managing Diversity in the Workplace Promotion of principles in ILO Convention 159, Convention 111 and the Code of Practice for Managing Diversity in the Workplace Production of two videos: AbilityAsia and AbilityThailand Production of two videos: AbilityAsia and AbilityThailand Promotion of Biwako Millennium Framework towards and Inclusive, Rights-based and Barrier- free Society Promotion of Biwako Millennium Framework towards and Inclusive, Rights-based and Barrier- free Society Advocacy for inclusion of disability issues within mainstream ILO projects Advocacy for inclusion of disability issues within mainstream ILO projects Development Corporation of Ireland project assisting China and Thailand in legislative and policy issues Development Corporation of Ireland project assisting China and Thailand in legislative and policy issues Advocacy with social partners, especially employers Advocacy with social partners, especially employers

Example: Business Approach Articulated in Unlocking Potential and AbilityAsia Articulated in Unlocking Potential and AbilityAsia Managing diversity is a major factor in efficiency, productivity and overall success Managing diversity is a major factor in efficiency, productivity and overall success Good workers Good workers Improved team work Improved team work People with disabilities are customers People with disabilities are customers

Technical Cooperation Informal Sector Informal Sector Alleviating Poverty through Peer Training project in Cambodia Informal Economy and other ILO projects Formal Sector Formal Sector Working with employers in several countries and collectively National meetings on disability issues (Nepal, Mongolia, Thailand, India, Vietnam etc.) National meetings on disability issues (Nepal, Mongolia, Thailand, India, Vietnam etc.) National technical assistance National technical assistance Social partners Social partners

Example: Income Generation/Poverty Alleviation  Village-based training  Successful entrepreneurs are trainers  Skills based on market needs  Learn technical and business skills  Grants, loans, start-up support  Successful trainees become trainers  Follow-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: Regional Final dissemination of country studies Final dissemination of country studies Update, expand and improve accessibility of Web site Update, expand and improve accessibility of Web site Continued technical assistance to governments Continued technical assistance to governments Library of laws for the region Library of laws for the region Video for trade unions Video for trade unions Additional support to employer initiatives Additional support to employer initiatives Employment focused meeting Employment focused meeting Develop good practices among employers Develop good practices among employers Promote CAP-NET project/activities Promote CAP-NET project/activities

2004/5 Plans: Country-Specific Afghanistan: Disability Advisor post Afghanistan: Disability Advisor post Cambodia: Expand APPT; support government capacity building efforts Cambodia: Expand APPT; support government capacity building efforts China: Capacity building and awareness workshops; engage social partners China: Capacity building and awareness workshops; engage social partners Indonesia: New initiatives based on needs Indonesia: New initiatives based on needs Iran: Support to disability advisory group Iran: Support to disability advisory group Laos: Capacity building and technical support to legislative and policy initiative Laos: Capacity building and technical support to legislative and policy initiative

2004/5 Plans: Country-Specific (2) Mongolia: Support employer initiative Mongolia: Support employer initiative Philippines: New initiatives based on needs Philippines: New initiatives based on needs Sri Lanka: Technical support to initiative of Employers’ Federation of Ceylon Sri Lanka: Technical support to initiative of Employers’ Federation of Ceylon Thailand: Technical support revision of the law, vocational assessment initiative and integrated employment service task force Thailand: Technical support revision of the law, vocational assessment initiative and integrated employment service task force Vietnam: Work toward inclusion of people with disabilities in ILO projects Vietnam: Work toward inclusion of people with disabilities in ILO projects

Headquarters' Initiatives International Research Project on Current Practices in Skills Development for Persons with Disabilities International Research Project on Current Practices in Skills Development for Persons with Disabilities Community-Based Rehabilitation: Strategies and Good Practices in Vocational Skills Development of Youth with Disabilities Community-Based Rehabilitation: Strategies and Good Practices in Vocational Skills Development of Youth with Disabilities Employment of People with Disabilities--- The Impact of Legislation Employment of People with Disabilities--- The Impact of Legislation

Websites/

Discussion What specific questions do you have? What specific questions do you have? What are the WB’s in-country activities and points of entry on disability issues in the region? What are the WB’s in-country activities and points of entry on disability issues in the region? How might we work together? How might we work together?