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Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Azerbaijan (RATIFICATION: 1992)

Articles 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 of the Convention. Implementation of a national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. The Government indicates in its report that, in accordance with the Employment Strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan 2006–15 and the State Programme for the Implementation of the Employment Strategy 2011–15, work is being carried out to develop special active programmes, in particular specialist vocational training programmes, psychological and vocational guidance testing, the creation of special workplaces (including in the regions), and the promotion of entrepreneurship. It further indicates that, in fulfilment of the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has prepared a draft law on the rights of persons with disabilities, which is undergoing review by the relevant state authorities, taking into account the views of civil society.

In reply to its previous comments, the Committee notes the statistics provided by the Government indicating that a total of 2,386 persons with disabilities applied to the State Employment Service from 2011 to 2014, of which 692 were women. Of the total number of applicants, 999 persons were placed in employment (227 women) in 2011–14. Seventy-five per cent of those placed in employment (755 persons) were placed through a quota system, of which 19 per cent (145) were women. During the same period, the State Employment Service offered vocational training to 285 persons with disabilities and an additional 72 persons (40 women) were employed in community work.

The Committee notes with interest that a Centre for the Vocational Rehabilitation of Young People with Disabilities was established in Baku. In the first six months of 2015, 183 people underwent vocational rehabilitation at the Centre.

The Committee also notes the concluding observations on the initial report of Azerbaijan by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD/C/AZE/CO/1, 12 May 2014) expressing its concern that “the number of persons benefiting from these quotas is very low” and “at the lack of adequate employment programmes to complement the use of quotas to enable persons with disabilities to participate effectively in the open labour market”.

The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the implementation of its national policy and to inform it once the draft law on the rights of persons with disabilities is adopted. In this regard, please provide further information on any provisions of the new legislative text that focus on promoting employment in the open labour market and on promoting effective equality of opportunity and treatment between workers with disabilities and other workers, including on reasonable accommodation. In light of the observations of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Committee requests the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure the effective participation of persons with disabilities in the labour market. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice, including information on programmes and measures taken to increase the proportion of women with disabilities in employment and vocational training, as well as on the different types of training measures (mainstream or specialized training) and their impact. Please also provide statistics and relevant data, disaggregated as much as possible by age, sex and the nature of the disability, extracts from reports, studies and inquiries concerning the matters covered by the Convention, including information on compliance with the quota system for employing persons with disabilities in the private and public sectors.

Article 5. Consultation. The Government indicates that national and local coordination committees have been set up with a view to promoting employment. The committees consist of representatives of government, representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as organizations representing the interests of people particularly in need of social protection, including persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the content and outcome of the consultations held within the national and local coordination committees on the implementation of a vocational rehabilitation and employment policy for persons with disabilities.

Article 8. Services in rural and remote areas. The Government indicates that regional vocational training centres currently operate in the cities of Baku and Goychay and in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic. It adds that work is underway to set up a similar centre in the city of Ganja. The Committee requests the Government to provide further information on the activities of the centres providing vocational rehabilitation and employment services for persons with disabilities in rural areas and remote communities.

Article 9. Training of suitably qualified staff. The Committee reiterates its request that the Government provide information on the measures taken to ensure the availability of suitably qualified staff responsible for the vocational guidance, vocational training, placement and employment of persons with disabilities.