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The Committee notes the Government’s report received in March 2010. It also appreciates the ongoing contribution of information and views by the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ) and the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİŞK) on the application of the Convention. TÜRK-İŞ indicates that the ratification by Turkey of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the signing of its Optional Protocol in September 2009 represent a very important development.

Promotion of employment for persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government on legislation in force regarding the promotion of employment and vocational rehabilitation for persons with disabilities. It further reports that in 2008 the Turkish Employment Agency (IŞKUR) provided 273 courses for 3,582 persons with disabilities. In Izmir, 100 persons with disabilities were employed as a result of the “Project of Strengthening Institutional Structure of IŞKUR, A Developed Employment Strategy on Vocational Rehabilitation for Disabled Persons”, carried out between 2007 and 2008. The Government indicates that the High Council of Disabled Persons is in charge of defining national policies on subjects within the responsibility of the Administration for Persons with Disabilities. Furthermore, organizations of persons with disabilities are represented within the provincial employment and vocational training boards which are in charge of formulating respective policies. In this regard, the Government specifies that the Action Plan for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities 2005–10, aims at increasing the efficiency of provincial employment boards regarding the employment of persons with disabilities and that these boards should ensure that persons with disabilities participate in the open labour market. TİŞK reports that work is continuing under the “Project for Vocational Rehabilitation of the Disabled, a Full-Fledged Employment Policy and Action to Strengthen IŞKUR as an Institution”, which is carried out by IŞKUR in collaboration with the social partners. TÜRK-İŞ indicates that as of April 2009, 109,645 persons with disabilities were unemployed. The total number of persons with disabilities employed in the public and private sectors amounted to 65,983. The number of persons with disabilities employed in the public sector was gradually decreasing due to privatization, whereas those employed in the private sector increased. Nonetheless, an open quota of 22,986 persons with disabilities was still waiting for placement in March 2009. The Committee invites the Government to provide detailed information on the impact of the Action Plan for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities 2005–10 and on the measures taken to promote the employment of persons with disabilities in the open labour market, disaggregated, as much as possible, by age, sex and the nature of the disability, providing specific data by public and private sector (Articles 3 and 4 of the Convention). The Government is further requested to supply information on consultations held within the High Council for Persons with Disabilities and the employment and vocational training boards with regard to the adoption and implementation of a policy and measures to promote the employment of persons with disabilities.