The International Labour Organization (ILO), with support from Irish Aid, is launching the first Disability Championship Programme in South-East Asia in Bangkok, Thailand.

The programme invites Thai Trade Unions to submit proposals for activities that will promote decent work and the management of disabilities in the workplace. The winning proposals will receive grants to put their plans into action. The union that submits the plan that achieves the best results will receive a “Disability Champion” award at a special ceremony in February 2011.

The programme is open to trade union members from the State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC), the Labour Congress of Thailand (LCT), the Thai Trade Union Congress (TTUC), and the National Congress of Private Industrial Employees (NCPE), representing approximately 450,000 workers in total.

The Disability Championship Programme is being organized as part of the ILO project “Promoting the Employability and Employment of People with Disabilities through Effective Legislation” (PEPDEL), which aims to promote concrete action on disability rights.

It is estimated that the exclusion of some persons with disabilities from Thailand’s labour market cost the country US$ 1.42 billion or 0.7 per cent of national GDP (2007 figs).

“There are many ways that trade unions can promote rights and opportunities for disabled workers and this programme will help to turn ideas into action,” said Emanuela Pozzan, ILO Sub-regional Disability Coordinator. “They can raise the awareness of employers and co-workers about the abilities and rights of disabled workers, they can recruit them into the union movement, and they can ensure that employers do not just follow legal requirements but take proactive steps to offer disabled staff equal opportunities and full job satisfaction”.

The media are invited to attend the Disability Championship Programme launch. Representatives and specialists from the ILO, disabled peoples’ organizations and trade unions will be available for interview.

The event will take place on Friday 3 September, from 9:00 -12:00 at the Thai Labour Museum: 503/20 Nikhom Makkasan Road, Rachatewi, Bangkok, Tel. 02 251 3173.

Programme

09.00-09.10 Opening session: Emanuela Pozzan – Sub-Regional Disability Coordinator
09.10-09.20 Welcome remarks: Bill Salter, Director, ILO Decent Work Team
09.20-09.30 Welcome remarks: Union Representatives
09.30-09.45 Video: From Rights to Reality
09.45-10.00 Coffee Break
10.00-10.30 What Unions Can Do to Promote Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities: Emanuela 10.30-11.15 Pozzan, Sub-Regional Disability Coordinator
11.15-12.00 Presentation of Trade Union Work: round table with representatives of SERC, TTUC, LTC,
NCPE
11.15-12.00 Launch of the Championship Programme: Bill Salter
12.00 Lunch

For more information please contact:

Krisdaporn Singhaseni
Information Officer
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Tel: 02 288 1664
Email