Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - China (Ratification: 1988)

The Committee has noted with interest the information supplied by the Government in its first report on the application of the Convention. It would be grateful if in its next report the Government would supply additional information on the following points:

Article 3 of the Convention. It appears from the report that the main role in providing employment is to be played by welfare factories. Please describe more specifically the manner in which employment opportunities for disabled persons are promoted in the "open labour market", according to the terms of those provisions of the Convention. Please refer in particular to the so-called "dispersed employment policies".

Article 5. The Government indicates in its report that there are consultations with employers' and workers' organisations on the implementation of the national policy for disabled persons. Please describe in more detail the manner in which representative employers' and workers' organisations are consulted on the matters referred to in this Article.

Article 7. Please describe measures taken with a view to providing and evaluating vocational guidance, placement, employment and other related services for disabled persons. Please indicate whether existing services for workers generally are used, with necessary adaptations, to enable disabled persons to secure, retain and advance in employment.

Article 8. The Government indicates, with reference to paragraph 38 of the Five-Year Work Programme for the Disabled (1988-1992), that in rural areas a variety of assistance should be offered to disabled persons so that they may engage in farming, handicraft industries etc., and that welfare enterprises in rural areas have been developing, while disabled people in remote mountain, forestry and other areas can also be employed properly. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would describe in more detail measures taken and implemented to promote the establishment and development of vocational rehabilitation and employment services for disabled persons in rural areas and remote communities in accordance with this Article.

Article 9. The Government states, with reference to the Five-Year Work Programme for the Disabled (paragraph 49), that it is important to train personnel competent for rehabilitation work and for the teaching of rehabilitation knowledge. It indicates that 20 vocational training centres have been established to train staff in vocational rehabilitation. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply, in its next report, further information on measures taken to ensure the availability of suitably qualified staff responsible for the vocational guidance, vocational training, placement and employment of disabled persons.

Please also provide information on practical application of the Convention requested under Point V of the Report Form.