China

The ILO has worked closely with China for many years on issues related to the employment and training of people with disabilities and on policy and rights issues. This has included working actively with the ILO’s social partners, the Ministry of Labour and the China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF), the China Employers Confederation (CEC) and the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU).

China was one of five countries that participated in the ILO/Korea Fellowship programme in 2005, is currently involved in the PEPDEL project (see below) and been actively engaged with the ILO in promoting employment through employers awareness seminars and advanced employer development techniques.

PEPDEL project

Currently, China is a participant in the inter-regional project Promoting the Employability and Employment of People with Disabilities through Effective Legislation (PEPDEL). Through this project, the ILO provides technical assistance to stakeholders in China to enhance their capacity to promote disabled job seekers’ access to equal job and training opportunities through effective national laws and policies. It also seeks to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities alongside the social partners – employers’ and workers’ organization - in policy-making processes.

A National Project Advisory Group is chaired by the CDPF with representatives for the Government, employers’ and workers’ organizations.

A range of PEPDEL supported activities have been implemented or are currently being implemented through the National Project Advisory Group (NPAG) partners:

·       Beijing University has been engaged to adapt and pilot test the curriculum on ‘Achieving Equal Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities through Legislation’, developed by Cornell University under the PEPDEL project;

·       The China Disabled People’s Federation (CDPF) conducted a survey on the employment situation of people with mental illness and people with intellectual disability. CDPF plans to use the information from this survey to inform future policy development;

·       CDPF was also supported to run two national training workshops for its members on their role in the implementation of the new Regulations on Employment of Disabled Persons issued in 2007;

·       A media training workshop on the right to employment for people with disabilities was held on the International Day of Disabled Person in 2007, coordinated by CDPF;

·       The All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) held a workshop, supported by PEPDEL, for its members to promote the new Regulations on Employment of Disabled Persons and the role of trade unions in protecting the rights of workers with disabilities.

Technical assistance, workshops and seminars

For several years, the ILO regional disability programme has provided technical assistance to the China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF) to build capacity among its staff on issues related to vocational assessment, employment services, advanced employer development techniques and international vocational rehabilitation standards. This year, a senior ILO specialist will serve as a resource person for the China Association of the Deaf three-day, national seminar to promote employment opportunities among China’s estimated 20 million Deaf persons.

In November 2005, the ILO sponsored a major disability awareness programme in collaboration with the ACFTU, Decent Work and People with Disabilities: The Role of Trade Unions. Present were representatives from major unions in the country as well as ACFTU leaders, three ILO senior specialists and an international resource person, from the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union.  Union personnel developed action plans to move the disability issue forward within their respective organizations and had a high praise for the training.

In 2004, a similar awareness activity was co-sponsored with the CEC for employers, entitled Unlocking Potential: The Business Case for Hiring People with Disabilities. The booklet Unlocking Potential: The New Disability Business Case was translated and distributed to CEC members as part of this awareness initiative.

Advanced employer development training

In 2005, the ILO entered into a cooperative training activity with the China Disabled Persons Federation, the Shanghai Disabled Persons Federation and Huangzhou Disabled Persons Federation. The activity involved the participation of a delegation from China to the ILO/ESCAP Multinational Corporation Roundtable on Disability and Employment and two training programmes. The lead participating CDPF branch, the Shanghai Disabled Persons Federation agreed to replicate the Roundtable as part of the activity.

From 25-29 July, two international trainers and two resource people, one from the ILO and one from the Hong Kong Department of Labour, provided training to about 40 CDPF staff members on Employer Development Techniques for the Job Placement of People with Disabilities. The training integrated many ILO tools and techniques that have already been translated into Chinese and built on lessons learned from the Roundtable. The training culminated in action plans by all of the four provincial offices represented at the meeting. A follow-up meeting to review progress and plans was held in Hangzhou, hosted by the Hangzhou Disabled Persons Federation.

As a result of the training, Shanghai held a highly successful Employers” Roundtable in which Novotel, Wal-Mart, Marriott, Carrefour, Alicahan, Wanglei Image Commune, Papa John’s, HSBC, Starbuck’s, Shanghai Jielong Photograph and many other local companies were present. SDPF plans to sponsor an additional 15 Roundtable meetings. Additionally, the Shanghai CDPF produced a video of employers and disabled workers as an awareness tool. Other offices also made progress in their action plans but the Shanghai experience was the most exemplary.

Other activities

Additionally, the ILO has translated many technical publications into Chinese as part of this capacity building effort, especially those to do with employment services for disabled persons and job search skills for disabled job-seekers. This includes the translation of the ILO video AbilityAsia, which is designed to foster positive attitudes about hiring people with disabilities.

China participated in the ILO’s 14-country study and the ILO Regional Technical Consultation on Vocational Training and Employment of People with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific Region, to which it sent a full and active delegation. A good practice from China is also included in Moving Forward: Toward Decent Work for People with Disabilities.

For more information about training and employment of people with disabilities, consult the following:

• Green Certificate Training Project
  Raising Scorpions to Raise Income and Reduce Poverty --- Integrating People with Disabilities into Agricultural Training in Rural China (pdf)

Also refer to the separate section on Hong Kong, SAR.

For more information about disability related laws and policies and the country consult our National Laws and Information pages.

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