Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Madagascar (Ratification: 1998)

The Committee notes the Government’s report and Decree No. 2001-162, published on 9 April 2001 in the Journal Officiel, issued under Act No. 97-044 of 2 February 1998 on persons with disabilities. It requests the Government to provide information on any changes in practice following the entry into force of the above Decree mentioned.

Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s report indicating that the elaboration of a national labour policy is under way and that part of this policy will cover persons with disabilities. It requests the Government to provide information on the progress achieved and the difficulties encountered in the formulation and implementation of the national labour policy in so far as it concerns persons with disabilities.

Article 4. Noting the information furnished by the Government relating to the applicable legislation, the Committee once again requests information on the measures taken in practice to guarantee equality of opportunity between persons with disabilities and workers in general, and between men and women workers with disabilities.

Article 5. Noting that the issues concerning persons with disabilities are discussed in the National Employment Commission, and particularly by the Committee on Employment and Vocational Training, the Committee of Experts requests the Government to provide information on the consultations held in the National Employment Commission concerning the issues covered by this Article and on the manner in which representatives of persons with disabilities are consulted.

Article 7. The Committee, noting the information provided by the Government on specific services and sections of the National Centre for the Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (CNRPPH), observes however that this information does not contain any practical indications on the actual work of these services. According to its report, the CNRPPH is undergoing a difficult period. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the actual work carried out by the services of the CNRPPH and of any other competent body, concerning the issues covered by this Article.

Noting that Decree No. 2001-162 mentioned above provides for the creation of a national committee for persons with disabilities and interregional committees for persons with disabilities, covering all the issues related to the social integration and reintegration of persons with disabilities, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures adopted by the above committees.

Article 8. According to the Government, there is no legislation relating to the measures referred to in this Article of the Convention. The Committee is of the view that the application of this Article does not depend principally on the legislation in force, but more on the practical measures taken to promote the creation and development of vocational rehabilitation and employment services for persons with disabilities in rural areas and isolated communities. The Committee hopes that the Government will make efforts to take the measures provided for in this Article, and that it will keep the Committee informed of the progress made and the difficulties encountered. It also hopes that the Government will provide information on the measures adopted or envisaged to promote cooperation and coordination between public institutions and the numerous private associations for persons with disabilities which, according to the report, operate in the various regions of the island in order to implement this Article of the Convention.

Article 9. Noting that, according to the report, private associations for persons with disabilities operate with their own means, the Committee recalls that, according to this Article, governments should contribute to the complete and thorough training of the persons responsible for the duties referred to in this Article. It hopes that the Government will make available to public and private organizations appropriate training in the vocational rehabilitation, guidance, training, placement and employment of persons with disabilities, and that it will keep the Committee informed on the progress achieved in this regard.

Part V of the report form. The Committee requests the Government to provide a general appreciation of the manner in which the Convention is applied, by providing for example extracts from reports of the activities of the National Committee for Persons with Disabilities, the Interregional Committees for Persons with Disabilities or any other body involved in the implementation of the Convention.