Solicitud directa (CEACR) - Adopción: 2010, Publicación: 100ª reunión CIT (2011)

Convenio sobre la readaptación profesional y el empleo (personas inválidas), 1983 (núm. 159) - Trinidad y Tabago (Ratificación : 1999)

Promotion of employment for workers with disabilities in the private and public sectors. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in November 2009 including replies to its 2005 direct request. The Government indicates that the Disability Affairs Unit of the Ministry of Social Development is responsible for monitoring and coordinating activities pertinent to the National Policy on Persons with Disabilities. This policy was approved in December 2005 after nationwide consultations of the draft policy from 2003 to 2005 which were made available in soft copy, Braille and sign language. The Committee notes that this policy is to take effect over a seven-year period (mid-2006 to mid-2013) and implementing agencies are required to present annual progress reports to the community of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to influence the National Policy on Persons with Disabilities by offering their feedback through NGO workshops. It also notes that according to the 2000 national census, approximately 45,496 persons or 4.1 per cent of the total population has a disability. These figures are similar to findings of the Survey of Living Conditions (2005) which demonstrated disability among approximately 4 per cent of the population. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information regarding the practical results of the National Policy on Persons with Disabilities (Article 2 of the Convention). Please also provide documents containing statistics and other relevant data (disaggregated as much as possible by age, gender and the nature of the disability), studies or surveys on the matters covered by the Convention (Part V of the report form).

Rehabilitative programmes. The Government indicates that the impact of the rehabilitative programmes have enhanced the quality of lives and allowed for the integration of disabled persons into the wider community. The Committee notes various support services including personalized training and a job placement programme provided by the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD). The Government indicates specialized services through the Deaf Pioneers Life Centre which since 2000, has trained over 100 deaf persons, 20 per cent of whom obtained employment or became self-employed. The Government indicates that during 2005–09, 15 per cent of students with disabilities who received training obtained employment and among mentally challenged persons who underwent training from 2007 to 2008, 5 per cent obtained employment. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide further information regarding efforts to facilitate access to employment and results of programmes implemented (Article 3).

Equal opportunity of treatment. The Government indicates the prohibition of discrimination in employment on several bases including disability and gender under the Equal Opportunity Act and equal opportunity and treatment of persons with disabilities through the National Policy on Persons with Disabilities. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report further information regarding the impact of these efforts and others which promote equal opportunity and treatment with regard to disability (Article 4).

Adaptation of existing services to the needs of persons with disabilities. The Government indicates that the approach of “leading by example” was adopted to promote employment of persons with disabilities. Activities were hosted by the Ministry of Labour to promote the integration of persons with disabilities in the workforce. The Committee invites the Government to supply further information in its next report on the impact of the measures taken and on the difficulties encountered to enable persons with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment both in the public and the private sectors (Article 7).

Rehabilitation and employment services for persons with disabilities in rural areas and remote communities. The Government indicates non-governmental organizations’ partnership efforts to incorporate rehabilitation and employment services for persons with disabilities in rural areas. The Committee notes progress in both vocational training and educational support which contributed to achieving employment. The Committee invites the Government to provide additional information regarding rehabilitation and employment services for persons with disabilities in rural and poorer areas (Article 8).

Qualification of rehabilitation counsellors and other staff. The Government indicates that rehabilitation counsellors are recruited by the Ministry of Health which focuses on recruiting suitably qualified staff through regional health authorities. The Committee invites the Government to provide further information on the necessary qualifications and general policy for recruiting rehabilitation counsellors and other staff (Article 9).