Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Sao Tome and Principe (Ratification: 1992)

The Committee notes the brief reply provided by the Government in March 2007 indicating that owing to a lack of human, material and financial resources, the Ministry of Labour still does not have a centre to deal with persons with disabilities. Therefore, there are currently no policies of any kind relating to the matters covered by the Convention. The Committee also notes that there is a single NGO which deals with issues relating to persons with disabilities. Owing to the lack of material and financial resources, this NGO has been able to do very little for persons with disabilities. The Committee refers to its previous direct requests and hopes that the Government will demonstrate its commitment to the Convention and will be able to provide in its next report detailed information on the measures adopted or envisaged to promote employment opportunities in the open labour market for persons with disabilities within the meaning of the Convention. The Committee recalls that the Government may request technical advice and assistance from the Office for the implementation of a national policy to provide vocational rehabilitation and to promote employment opportunities for persons with disabilities as required by the Convention.