Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2021, published 110th ILC session (2022)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Mauritius (Ratification: 2004)

The Committee takes note of the supplementary information provided by the Government in light of the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 338th Session (June 2020). The Committee proceeded with the examination of the application of the Convention on the basis of the supplementary information received from the Government in 2020, as well as on the basis of the information at its disposal in 2019.

Articles 2 and 4 of the Convention. Vocational rehabilitation and employment policy. Equality of opportunity and treatment. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on developments in relation to the Disability Strategy and Action Plan 2014–24 and to report on the measures taken in cooperation with the social partners in the context of the national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities, with specific reference to educational and training opportunities, both in the public and private sectors. The Committee notes with interest the implementation of the Disability Strategy and Action Plan 2014–2024 and the Action Plan on Disability 2016–2020 developed in consultation with all stakeholders. The Government indicates that 74 per cent of the objectives set out in the Action Plan on Disability 2016–2020 have already been implemented and those that are still outstanding are being incorporated into the new Action Plan 2021–2025. It adds that the new Action Plan will be drafted in consultation with the relevant stakeholders and implemented under the supervision of a monitoring committee. The Government further indicates that a Disability Bill aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities as well as eliminating disability-related discrimination is being finalized, and a National Disability Database to track services rendered to persons with disabilities is operational. The Committee notes that the Database has already registered some 58,000 beneficiaries. The Committee notes that, according to statistics from the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Board (TEDPB), 1,100 persons with disabilities are already registered with the TEDPB. The objectives of the TEDPB include operating and promoting schemes and projects for the training and employment of persons with disabilities. With respect to the vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities, the Government indicates that the Employment Service of the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training (MLIRET) registers jobseekers, including persons with disabilities, and facilitates their placement in productive and decent jobs. Upon request, lists of registered and qualified jobseekers, including persons with disabilities, are forwarded to private sector employers for subsequent selection and placement. It is to be noted that job vacancies are also disseminated on television on a daily basis through the programme “Magazine de l’Emploi et des Metiers” and are affixed on the notice boards of the 13 Employment Information Centres. Lists of vacancies are also disseminated by email to Youth Centres, Citizens Advice Bureau Offices, Women’s Centres and NGOs. The Committee notes the detailed statistics provided by the Government on the number of persons with disabilities (disaggregated by sex) placed in employment in various establishments and organisations from 2011 to 2018. In this regard, the Government indicates that since from 2015 to 2020, 315 persons with disabilities have participated in training programmes. In addition, 347 persons with disabilities were placed in employment from August 2014 to September 2020. However, the Committee notes that according to the statistics provided, the ratio of men with disabilities accessing employment (229 persons) is much higher than that of women (81 persons). The Government indicates that the TEDPB continues to promote the employment of persons with disabilities through the TEDP Act, which requires that employers with 35 or more workers must meet a 3 per cent quota of persons with disabilities. The Committee notes that in 2020, the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD) is running courses for persons with disabilities, which include courses on housekeeping, hairdressing, computer awareness and IT, automotive electricity and electronics, garment making and waiter training. It further notes that the TEDPB has employed an “Employment Disability Officer” to monitor the training programmes, to facilitate the employment of persons with disabilities while sensitizing employers on the TEDP Act. The Officer is also responsible for enlisting the services of relevant resource persons and training institutions with a view to providing needed training to person with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to provide up-to-date, detailed information on the measures taken or envisaged in the context of the Disability Strategy and Action Plan 2014–24 and the new Action Plan 2021–2025, particularly to increase the participation rate of women with disabilities in the labour market and to ensure effective equality of treatment between men and women workers with disabilities as well as between workers with disabilities and those without disabilities. The Committee further requests the Government to provide information on the concrete impact of the pandemic on the employment situation of workers with disabilities and the diverse measures and benefits that have been made available to them to enable them to cope with the negative impacts of the crisis. The Committee also requests the Government to continue providing information on the application of the Convention in practice, including, for example, statistics disaggregated by sex, extracts from reports, and information on the status and impact of the measures adopted to promote the employment of persons with disabilities in the open labour market and all other matters related to the application of the Convention in practice. The Committee reiterates its previous request that the Government provide information on measures taken to evaluate vocational guidance, training, placement, employment and other related services to enable persons with disabilities to secure, retain and advance in employment.