Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

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

Articles 2, 3 and 5 of the Convention. Implementation of a national policy. Consultation of the social partners and other organizations concerned. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in April 2013 which, in reply to the comments which the Committee has been making for a number of years, states that there is no policy for recruiting persons with disabilities. The Government refers to the provisions of Act No. 6/92 of 20 March 1992 establishing the system of individual conditions of work for persons with disabilities. The Committee invites the Government to indicate in its next report the measures taken to formulate and implement a national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Committee also invites the Government to provide detailed information on the consultations held with the social partners and organizations concerned, as required by Article 5 of the Convention.

ILO technical assistance. The Government indicates that a large number of persons with disabilities are unemployed, many because they are demotivated and others because they lack opportunities. In this regard, the Committee refers to its comments on the application of the Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88). In view of the difficulties observed since the ratification of the Convention, the Committee notes that technical assistance would be particularly useful to bridge the gaps that exist in law and in practice and to create employment opportunities in the open labour market for persons with disabilities within the meaning of the Convention. In this regard, the Government may wish to avail itself of technical assistance from the Office in order to bridge the gaps in the implementation of the Convention.