Employment of Persons with Disabilities: ILO discussed with multilateral parties inclusive policies and practices for decent work for all

© ILO

© ILO

ILO News (Istanbul-Gaziantep) - The first of the "Meetings on Increasing the Employment of Persons with Disabilities" was held in Istanbul on 10 October, and the other was held in Gaziantep on 16 October within the scope of the Project on “Promoting Decent Work Opportunities for Syrians under Temporary Protection and Turkish Citizens”.

In the meetings that brought together the public, private sector, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, municipalities and working persons with disabilities, the emphasis was placed on strengthening cooperation between institutions that will contribute to the employment of persons with disabilities and disseminating supported employment model practices such as job-coaches for employers and working persons with disabilities.

In both meetings organized, the need to develop inclusive policies to increase the employment of persons with disabilities and ensuring the availability and accessibility of job coaches at workplaces for the sustainability of their employment were discussed.

The meeting held in Istanbul in cooperation with the project’s implementing partners; Istanbul Küçükçekmece Municipality and Bursa Yıldırım Municipality, was attended by the experts from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, General Directorate of International Labour (DGILF) and Turkish Red Crescent, and from civil society, Association for Social Development and Aid Mobilization (ASAM), Relief International, Association of Assistance Solidarity and Support for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (MSYD), Confederation of People with Disabilities, Tohum Autism Foundation, Turkish Down Syndrome Association, Turkish Disabled People's Association, Federation of Rights of People with Disabilities, Barrier-Free Life Support Association, Bursa Down Brotherhood Association, Bursa People with Autism Their Mothers Aid Association as well as Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality officials from the Municipality Directorate for People with Disabilities, Employment and Vocational Training Services Chief, Küçükçekmece Municipality Employment and Career Center, Istanbul Bahçelievler Service Center, ISKUR Private Employment Office Engelsizkariyer.com and Sultanbeyli Municipality. From the private sector, representatives from Eker A.Ş. and Boyner Group mentioned on their companies' disabled employment policies, while employees with disabilities from Nehirli Tekstil, Al Rafidain and Küçükçekmece Municipality shared their individual experiences at work.

The meeting held on October 16 in cooperation with the project’s implementing partner in Gaziantep: Gaziantep Chambers of Tradesmen and Craftsmen Union (GESOB) and Adana Organized Industrial Zone (AOSB) and was attended by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (DGILF), Gaziantep Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR), Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, Gaziantep Şahinbey Municipality, Gaziantep City Council Assembly of People with Disabilities, Turkish Disabled Association, Şahinbey Solidarity Association, Turkish Red Crescent, ASAM, Relief International, Building Markets, GOAL, National Project Prosthesis Health Association (NSPPL), Welthungerhilfe (WHH), International Blue Crescent Foundation (IBC). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Resident Coordinator Office. While officials from Çengel İplik and Afkar Kalıp companies from the private sector emphasized the importance of employees receiving training on disability, employers and all employees who started to work for the first time in his life within the scope of ISMEP, mentioned the challenges of long working hours on persons with disabilities.

The common message of employers and employees attending the meetings was that the incentives and laws are not sufficient for the employment of persons with disabilities and nor for its sustainability. It was also mentioned that there should be a conscious demand from both sides for the employer to work efficiently with the persons with disabilities and for the persons with disabilities to have a qualified existence in working life, the ILO Office for Türkiye Technical Expert for Refugees Çiğdem Altunok said, "Inclusivity should be embraced in order to ensure the employment of more persons with disabilities and their retention in employment. The collaborations we have established for diversity and inclusion are very valuable”.

Regarding inter-institutional cooperation, civil society and executives from municipalities emphasized the need to strengthen information sharing mechanisms as well as the importance of carrying out joint studies on rehabilitation, awareness-raising and experience sharing studies, job-coach training and supported employment models.

About the project

Within the scope of the project financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through the KfW Development Bank and carried out for more than four years by the ILO Office for Türkiye in close coordination with the General Directorate of International Labour Force (DGILF) of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security of the Republic of Turkey, the Work-Based Learning Programme (locally known as ISMEP) assists persons with disabilities to be employed. ISMEP is currently being implemented in Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Gaziantep and Istanbul and aims to reach a total of 3,000 beneficiaries by the end of 2024. These beneficiaries must be 30 percent women and 10 percent persons with disabilities. Within the scope of the ISMEP, which is currently benefited by more than 2,000 people, employers are provided with monthly wages, social security premiums and work permit fee support for Syrian employees. Besides, employees are provided additional financial support to women and persons with disabilities, as well as childcare services for women.