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1. The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention received in October 2002, including an observation by the Turkish Confederation of Employers’ Associations (TISK). The Government indicates that the orientation of the national policy is to provide vocational rehabilitation and to make the employment of persons with disabilities compulsory for employers. It also states that, in view of the increasing employment of persons with disabilities in the open labour market, it has been made compulsory to employ workers with disabilities in the public sector. TISK indicates that, although the public sector is subject to the same level of liability to employ disabled citizens as the private sector, the figures show that 1,591 disabled people were employed by the public sector and 10,215 by the private sector in 2000, compared with 1,369 by the public sector and 11,731 by the private sector in 2001. It considers that private employers that employ 50 or more people are virtually being punished through the new regulations and they are burdened by new liabilities. TISK calls for action to provide rehabilitation and training services to make persons with disabilities suitable for employment and production. The Committee hopes that in its next report the Government will provide further information on the vocational rehabilitation measures that are made available to all categories of persons with disabilities and the manner in which employment opportunities for persons with disabilities are promoted in the open labour market (Article 3 of the Convention).

2. Please also indicate if the High Council of Disabled Persons has had an opportunity to debate the TISK’s concerns and the outcome of any consultations made on the implementation of the national policy to provide rehabilitation to workers with disabilities, as well as information on the measures taken to promote cooperation and coordination between the public and private bodies engaged in those activities. Please also note that the representative organizations of and for persons with disabilities shall also be consulted, in conformity with Article 5 of the Convention.

3. Article 8. The Committee notes the information provided on vocational rehabilitation and employment services for disabled persons in rural areas and remote communities. It requests the Government to provide information on the results obtained in practice through this network of centres.