Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Pakistan (Ratification: 1994)

The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending June 1999. It notes that the Government confines itself to referring to its previous report, without replying to the questions raised by the Committee in its previous direct request. The Committee therefore once again requests the Government to provide additional information on the following points.

Article 5 of the Convention. With reference to sections 3 and 5 of the Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance, 1981 (No. XL), the Committee notes that one representative of registered trade unions is appointed to each of the provincial councils for the rehabilitation of disabled persons. It requests the Government to describe the manner in which representatives of employers' organizations are consulted on the implementation of the national policy on vocational rehabilitation and the employment of persons with disabilities, and to indicate whether representative organizations of and for disabled persons are consulted on the implementation of the above policy.

Article 7. The Committee notes the information concerning the establishment of training centres to impart vocational training to disabled persons throughout the country. It requests the Government to describe in detail the measures taken at the federal and provincial levels with a view to providing and evaluating vocational guidance, vocational training, placement, employment and other related services to enable persons with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment, in accordance with this Article of the Convention.

Article 9. The Committee notes the indication that rehabilitation staff are professionally qualified and it requests the Government to indicate the measures which have been taken to ensure the training and availability of such personnel.

Furthermore, the Committee notes a communication of July 1999 from the All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions according to which no legislative measures have been adopted to give effect to the Convention, despite the Federation's efforts to call upon the Government to adopt such measures. The Committee requests the Government, to which the Office transmitted a copy of the above communication, to make any comments which it deems appropriate in reply to the allegations made by the All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions.

[The Government is asked to report in detail in 2001.]