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Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Zambia (RATIFICATION: 1989)

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Articles 1 to 4 of the Convention. Implementation of a national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment for persons with disabilities. The Committee notes that the Government states its commitment to pursue an inclusive society where persons with disabilities enjoy equal rights and opportunities that are fundamental for living and development through the implementation of the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities Strategic Plan 2017–21. The Strategy envisages the adoption of measures to promote employment among persons with disabilities, including strengthening the engagement of the private sector and implementing the employment quota system for persons with disabilities. The Committee further notes the information provided by the Government regarding the measures taken to provide support to employers recruiting persons with disabilities, such as the introduction of tax rebates for those employers and the establishment of the National Business and Disability Network, hosted by the Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE). Furthermore, the Government reports the implementation of a number of social programmes that provide livelihood support to persons in vulnerable situations, including persons with disabilities. The Government refers to, among others, the Support to women’s empowerment and livelihoods programme (GEWEL) aimed at increasing access to livelihood support for women, the Public Welfare Assistance Scheme (PWAS) and the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). However, the Government indicates that there is no information available on the number of persons with disabilities that have benefited from such programmes. The Government also reports that, between 2020 and 2021, the National Trust Fund for Persons with Disabilities provided support to 518 persons, including loans for commercial ventures, education support and training in basic business management and entrepreneurship skills. Furthermore, the Government indicates that financial assistance is provided to persons with disabilities through several non-contributory social protection programmes to improve their living conditions, including the National Trust Fund for Persons with Disabilities and the Social Cash Transfer Programme (13.26 per cent of the beneficiary households).

The Committee notes, nonetheless, the Government’s indication that levels of unemployment are extremely high amongst persons with disabilities due to a number factors, such as the lack of policies to support employment of persons with disabilities, persons with disabilities’ low skill levels as a result of inadequate education, discriminatory attitudes and practices on the part of employers, barriers to access to land and finance, inaccessible work environments and the lack of awareness on persons with disabilities’ rights among the society. The Government adds that this situation is exacerbated in the case of women with disabilities as they face double discrimination as women and as persons living with disability and they often are less educated. Lastly, the Committee recalls that in its previous comments noted the development of Disability Management Information System (DMIS), which would assist in planning and programming further initiatives. However, the Government indicates that there is no system in place that collects data on the number of persons with disabilities that are employed. In this regard, the Committee highlights the importance of having statistical information that allows for the evaluation of the impact of measures adopted to promote employment for persons with disabilities. The Committee recalls that a comprehensive, participative and transparent monitoring and evaluation mechanism enables all the parties concerned to identify achievements and challenges in meeting policy objectives. The Committee emphasizes that it is essential to ensure that policies are “monitored and evaluated in relation to the established targets and indicators” (2020 General Survey, Promoting employment and decent work in a changing landscape, paragraphs 112 and 153). Underlining the importance of a data collection systemon the number of persons with disabilities employed for determining measures to be adopted to attain the objectives of the Convention and to review those measures regularly, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or contemplated to ensure the functioning of the Disability Management Information System (DMIS). It also requests the Government to indicate the manner in which collected data are used to formulate, implement and review policy measures adopted to promote employment of persons with disabilities. In this context, the Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information, including statistics disaggregated by sex and age, on the nature and the impact of the measures adopted to promote employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, particularly women with disabilities, in the open labour market in both the public and private sectors.

Articles 3 and 4.Promotion of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. The notes the Government’s indication that, while the Persons with Disabilities Act 2012, envisages the establishment of employment quotas for persons with disabilities in the public and private sector, the statutory instrument required to enforce this provision has yet to be adopted. The Government also indicates that a 10 per cent of positions in the health and teaching sectors will be reserved for persons with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to adopt the necessary measures to ensure the implementation of the Persons with Disability Act, 2012, including the implementation of the employment quota for persons with disabilities in the public and the private sectors. It requests the Government to provide updated information on the impact of the reserved employment positions in the public and private sectors for persons with disabilities, particularly in the health and teaching sectors.

Article 5. Consultations. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the manner in which the representative organizations of employers and workers, as well as the representative organizations of persons with disabilities, are consulted on the implementation and periodic review of the national policy on vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

Articles 7 and 8. Vocational training and employment services for persons with disabilities. The Committee notes the initiatives undertaken by the Government to improve access to education for persons with disabilities. The Government refers to the introduction of mandatory courses in special educations needs at the Teacher Training Colleges of Education, the development of a general revised curriculum for primary school learners with disabilities, the removal of examination fees for children with disabilities, the availability of bursaries for trainees with disabilities in vocational training, and the implementation of pilot inclusive vocational training centres that fall under the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA). Referring to its comments above regarding the very high levels of unemployment amongst persons with disabilities and the key role of effective vocational education and training in this regard, the Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the development of vocational rehabilitation and employment services, including vocational guidance and training and employment placement services, made available to persons with disabilities, including in rural areas and remote communities, as well as information on the impact of these services.

Article 9.Training of suitably qualified staff. The Government indicates that the Ministry of Education has a structure under the Directorate of Teacher Education and Specialized Services responsible for the welfare of persons with disabilities, women and girls. The Government adds that teachers are trained on issues related to persons with disabilities, women and girls in the Zambia Institute of Special Education (ZAMISE) and that the topic of disability has been included in the recruitment processes to enhance inclusiveness among teaching personnel. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the measures taken or envisaged to ensure the availability of suitably qualified staff responsible for the vocational guidance, education and training, as well as the employment of persons with disabilities on the open labour market.