Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1995, published 83rd ILC session (1996)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Costa Rica (Ratification: 1991)

The Committee takes note with great interest of the first and second Government's reports on the application of the Convention. It notes, in particular, the detailed information on the national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of disabled persons, which is implemented by the National Council for Rehabilitation and Special Education, as well as the creation of a post of the Presidential Councellor for the Population with Disabilities. The Committee also notes the forthcoming revision of Act No. 5347 of 1973 on the establishment of the National Council for Rehabilitation and Special Education, as well as the elaboration of a draft General Law on the development, integration and advancement of disabled persons in Costa Rica. It further notes the information on action taken at the national level under the Project RLA/89/M06/SPA elaborated by the ILO for the central American region. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information on the implementation of the national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of disabled persons. Please supply the texts of a revised Act on the National Council for Rehabilitation and Special Education and a General Law referred to above, as soon as they are adopted. Please also provide additional information on the following points:

Article 5 of the Convention. The Government indicates that the Act on the National Council for Rehabilitation and Special Education referred to above does not provide for representation of workers' organizations on that body. It also states that, although the above-mentioned Act does not include representatives of disabled persons' organizations into the National Council, in practice these organizations are represented on that body, and that the revised Act on the National Council will provide for more active participation of representatives of disabled persons' organizations. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate, in its next report, whether representatives of workers' organizations will be also included in the National Council as a result of the revision of the Act, and if not, what other measures are taken or envisaged to ensure consultations with representative workers' organizations on the implementation of the national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of disabled persons. Please also describe in more detail consultations with representative organizations of disabled persons through the National Council.

Article 8. The Committee notes from the Government's first report that the National Council for Rehabilitation and Special Education has put into operation in certain regions of the country a model SELOR (Integrated Local Rehabilitation Services). It would be grateful if the Government would indicate, in its next report, whether SELOR will be also operational in rural areas, and if not, describe other measures taken or envisaged 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.