Sub-regional Meeting on Disability Legislation: Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities in Asia, UN Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand, 23-24 June 2008

The Sub-regional Meeting on Disability Legislation, jointly organized by the ILO and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), took place in the framework of a technical cooperation project, “Promoting the Employability and Employment of Persons with Disabilities through Effective Legislation (PEPDEL)”, funded by the Government of Ireland. The meeting aimed to provide participants with an appropriate platform for discussion regarding the main legal issues in the field of employment discrimination law relating to disability and to sensitize them to key concepts in disability discrimination law and specifically the CRPD. Participants examined good practices in implementing disability discrimination legislation, with a view to facilitating the implementation of the CRPD in the Asian region. The meeting also provided participants with an opportunity for networking withlegal and other experts in Asia and beyond

Unlocking Potential: A Multinational Corporation Roundtable on Disability and Employment - Asia and the Pacific. Proceedings of the Meeting, Bangkok, Thailand, 6 July 2005

The MNC Roundtable explored the business case for hiring people with disabilities and identified and discussed ways to overcome barriers that prevented disabl The MNC Roundtable had two major objectives:· To start a dialogue among stakeholders in the region, including multinational corporations, on how to stimulate the hiring of people with disabilities from the business case perspective; and,· To identify needs and action steps, regionally and nationally, that wouldcontribute to the training and hiring of workers with disabilities.The expected outcomes included:· Improved networking among stakeholders in the region;· Increased awareness among multinational companies about the business case for hiring disabled workers and the good practices of some companies;· Development of at least one or more partnerships that improve the training or hiring of people with disabilities at the national level;· Identification of good practice examples; and· Consensus about several action steps that the stakeholders and meetingorganizers can take to move the business case agenda forward in the region

Getting Hired: A Guide for Job-seekers with Disabilities

The ILO’s AbilityAsia programme has adapted this manual, Getting Hired: A Guide for Job-Seekers with Disabilities to help you. The guide is intended for individuals who are looking for salaried or paid employment in the formal sector. This means you probably live in a town or city. The guide can be used by individuals or groups, including organizations of individuals with disabilities. It can also be used on its own or as a part of a training workshop. Organizations of people with disabilities, placement agencies, non-governmental organizations and community organizations can also use the companion training manual Getting Hired: A Trainer’s Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers with Disabilities to deliver a workshop on this topic. While this guide has been prepared for adults with disabilities, the basic principles for finding a job and getting hired are the same for anyone. Non-disabled people may also find this book valuable. This guide may be useful to help you get full-time work, or part-time work while you are studying. People with disabilities are no longer viewed as requiring protection and care; they are seen as individuals who have rights, including the right to access training and employment. With preparation and training you can become a valued member of the workforce. This has been proven time and again, by businesses and employers who hire people with disabilities and keep track of their overall performance, productivity and safety records. Your right to meaningful work is guaranteed in a number of international instruments. Most recently the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Convention, which entered into force on 3 May 2008, is being signed and ratified by many countries around the world. The ILO Convention concerning Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons), 1983 (No. 159) promotes equal treatment and equal opportunity for people with disabilities in work and training situations. Many countries also have laws to protect the right of people with disabilities to engage in work. You should talk with a local organization of disabled persons to learn more about your human rights, your employment rights and how they are protected in your country. This guide provides some additional information on your rights but is primarily designed to help you build the practical skills you need to find a job. It is general and we hope that you will find it useful. However, each country is different and local job-seeking practices may vary; therefore you should ask for information from local leaders and employment specialists and follow the accepted methods in your country. The ILO encourages you to seek the job you desire and to advance yourself and your community through active participation. We wish you success in your job search and hope you find meaningful work in line with your goals

The pervasive nature of heterodox economic spaces at a time of neoliberal crisis: towards a “postneoliberal” anarchist future

Re-reading the economic landscape of the western world as a largely non-capitalist landscape composed of economic plurality, this paper demonstrates how economic relations in contemporary western society are often embedded in non-commodified practices such as mutual aid, reciprocity, co-operation and inclusion. By highlighting how the long-overlooked lived practices in the contemporary world of production, consumption and exchange are heavily grounded in the very types and essences of non-capitalist economic relations that have long been proposed by anarchistic visions of employment and organization, this paper displays that such visions are far from utopian: they are embedded firmly in the present. Through focusing on the pervasive nature of heterodox economic spaces in the UK in particular, some ideas about how to develop an anarchist future of work and organization will be proposed. The outcome is to begin to engage in the demonstrative construction of a future based on mutualism and autonomous modes of organization and representation. © 2012 The Authors. Antipode© 2012 Antipode Foundation Ltd.

The Employment Situation of People with Disabilities: Towards Improved Statistical Information

This guide provides information on current standards and definitions in the fields of employment and disability, as well as descriptions of good practices related to the compilation of statistics on the employment situation of people with disabilities, so that better data on this topic can be produced. It is directed to countries wishing to gather or improve such statistics in order to meet policy needs and it is an attempt to bring together all relevant information in this field. The main objective of this guide is to inform users about the followingareas:• current state of national methodologies for the compilation ofstatistics on the employment situation of people with disabilities;• standards and definitions for the measurement of the differentsub-groups of the economically active population;• concepts and methods for the measurement of disability;• useful sources and survey questions on disability.Information on these topics has been drawn from various sources, each giving detailed analysis and description of its specific area. These sources should be consulted for in-depth studies; they are cited in the appropriate sections and listed in the bibliography

Implementing the Right of People with Disabilities to Vocational Training. Report of an Action-Research Seminar, Quebec City, 25-26 Aug. 2008

The Action-Research seminar was co-organized by the ILO Skills and Employability Department in collaboration with the CTNERHI (Centre technique national d\u27études et de recherches sur les handicaps et les inadaptations), Global Applied Disability Research and Information Network on Employment and Training (GLADNET) and the Rehabilitation International Work and Employment Commission, with funding support by the Government of Ireland and Rehabilitation International (RI). A follow-up to the Tripartite European Regional Meeting, The Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Vocational Training and Employment , held in Geneva, March 2007, and to an Expert Group Meeting on the same topic, held in Bangkok, February 2006, the seminar had three main objectives: 1. to identify elements of good practice in skills development for people with disabilities in countries around the world; 2. to highlight areas in which more progress is needed and examine attempts to address these challenges; 3. to formulate an agenda for action and research. The seminar took place in the form of four optional sessions during the Rehabilitation International World Congress, Disability Rights and Social Participation: Ensuring a Society for All . Participants included skills development practitioners, government officials including policy-makers and administrators; disability advocates and researchers

Modern Slavery, Environmental Degradation and Climate Change: Fisheries, Field, Forests and Factories

In this commentary paper, the current state of research on the tightly connected and bi-directional relationships among modern slavery, environmental degradation and climate change is critically assessed and reviewed. An emerging branch of research has begun to conceptualize linkages between slavery and environmental change. Responding to a gap in the extant literature, this paper synthesizes and makes sense of this emerging research base and proposes a future research agenda for exploring the slavery–environment nexus. Through an exploration of 19 key texts which explicitly examine the relationship between slavery and environmental change, spanning across diverse disciplines and spatial scales, we draw out two key arguments that can be adopted in proposing a future research agenda. Firstly, we identify the sectoral emergence of the nexus, forming primarily around four key sectors: (i) Fisheries, (ii) Fields, (iii) Forests and (iv) Factories. The review suggests that a sufficient exploration of slavery–environment linkages needs to transverse these sectoral boundaries. Secondly, the paper highlights the bi-directional interactions among modern slavery, climate change and environmental degradation. Accordingly, we argue for a holistic lens which explores how slavery practices and environmental change are continually shaping one another. Existing research has provided initial understandings of the relationship among modern slavery, environmental destruction and climate change. However, there remains considerable scope for the connections between the three to be further interrogated and unpacked. Based on the review, the paper sets out three key research agendas, highlighting the need to move beyond a spatially and sectorally confined exploration of slavery–environment interactions towards an integrated and sophisticated interrogation of the nexus. Additionally, we propose the future examination of the deep underlying drivers of slavery–environment interactions and to situate these within contemporary capitalist social and economic relations

Basic Human Needs: Concept or Slogan, Synthesis or Smokescreen ?

SUMMARY Basic Human Needs/Basic Needs emerged in the middle 1970s as a widely debated way of analysing and formulating development. It has a number of elements and has drawn upon a number of country experiences and is to many proponents an attempted synthesis rather than a slogan. BHN and BN are only partly compatible with each other because of their quite different emphases on participation and equality versus organisation and minimum standards, reflecting broadly divergent political economic goals and perceptions. BHN as a strategy goes further than the provision (production and distribution) of basic goods and services to include full and fairly remunerated employment and participation. RESUMEN Necesidades humanas básicas: Concepto o slogan, síntesis o constructo artificial? Los conceptos de necedidades humanas básicas/necesidades básicas (NHB/NB) aparecieron a mediados de los años 1970 como manera ampliamente debatida de analizar y formular el desarrollo. Comprenden varios elementos y se han enriquecido de las experiencías de numerosos países, constituyendo a los ojos de sus proponentes una especie de síntesis más bien que un slogan. NHB y NB son sólo en parte recíprocamente compatibles a causa del énfasis tan diferente que ponen en la participación y en la igualdad por oposición a la organización y a los niveles mínimos, reflejando fines y concepciones político?económícas considerablemente divergentes. NHB en cuanto estrategía va más allá de la mera provisión (producción y distribución) de bienes y servicios básicos para comprender el empleo y la participación remunerados de manera plenamente equitable. RESUME Besoins fondamentaux de l'homme: concept ou slogan, synthèse ou écran de fumée? Besoins fondamentaux de l'homme/besoins fondamentaux, cette formule est apparue aux alentours de 1970 comme un moyen fort controversé d'analyser et de formuler le développement. Elle contient un certain nombre d'éléments et a fait appel aux expériences d'un certain nombre de pays: elle est pour beaucoup de ses défenseurs un essai de synthèse plutôt qu'un slogan. BFH et BF ne sont qu'en partie compatibles puisqu'ils mettent un accent tour à fait différent sur la participation et l'égalité face à l'organisation et les standards minima, reflétant des objectifs et des perceptions divergeant grandement politiquement. BFH en tant que stratégie va plus loin que la fourniture (production et distribution) de produits et services de base pour inclure le plein emploi bien rémunéré et la participation

A Cross-Sectional Survey on Knowledge and Perceptions of Health Risks Associated with Arsenic and Mercury Contamination from Artisanal Gold mining in Tanzania.

An estimated 0.5 to 1.5 million informal miners, of whom 30-50% are women, rely on artisanal mining for their livelihood in Tanzania. Mercury, used in the processing gold ore, and arsenic, which is a constituent of some ores, are common occupational exposures that frequently result in widespread environmental contamination. Frequently, the mining activities are conducted haphazardly without regard for environmental, occupational, or community exposure. The primary objective of this study was to assess community risk knowledge and perception of potential mercury and arsenic toxicity and/or exposure from artisanal gold mining in Rwamagasa in northwestern Tanzania. A cross-sectional survey of respondents in five sub-villages in the Rwamagasa Village located in Geita District in northwestern Tanzania near Lake Victoria was conducted. This area has a history of artisanal gold mining and many of the population continue to work as miners. Using a clustered random selection approach for recruitment, a total of 160 individuals over 18 years of age completed a structured interview. The interviews revealed wide variations in knowledge and risk perceptions concerning mercury and arsenic exposure, with 40.6% (n=65) and 89.4% (n=143) not aware of the health effects of mercury and arsenic exposure respectively. Males were significantly more knowledgeable (n=59, 36.9%) than females (n=36, 22.5%) with regard to mercury (x²=3.99, p<0.05). An individual's occupation category was associated with level of knowledge (x²=22.82, p=<0.001). Individuals involved in mining (n=63, 73.2%) were more knowledgeable about the negative health effects of mercury than individuals in other occupations. Of the few individuals (n=17, 10.6%) who knew about arsenic toxicity, the majority (n=10, 58.8%) were miners. The knowledge of individuals living in Rwamagasa, Tanzania, an area with a history of artisanal gold mining, varied widely with regard to the health hazards of mercury and arsenic. In these communities there was limited awareness of the threats to health associated with exposure to mercury and arsenic. This lack of knowledge, combined with minimal environmental monitoring and controlled waste management practices, highlights the need for health education, surveillance, and policy changes

Estimated Risk of HIV Acquisition and Practice for Preventing Occupational Exposure: A Study of Healthcare Workers at Tumbi and Dodoma Hospitals, Tanzania.

Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk of acquiring human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) and other infections via exposure to infectious patients' blood and body fluids. The main objective of this study was to estimate the risk of HIV transmission and examine the practices for preventing occupational exposures among HCWs at Tumbi and Dodoma Hospitals in Tanzania. This study was carried out in two hospitals, namely, Tumbi in Coast Region and Dodoma in Dodoma Region. In each facility, hospital records of occupational exposure to HIV infection and its management were reviewed. In addition, practices to prevent occupational exposure to HIV infection among HCWs were observed. The estimated risk of HIV transmission due to needle stick injuries was calculated to be 7 cases per 1,000,000 HCWs-years. Over half of the observed hospital departments did not have guidelines for prevention and management of occupational exposure to HIV infections and lacked well displayed health and safety instructions. Approximately, one-fifth of the hospital departments visited failed to adhere to the instructions pertaining to correlation between waste materials and the corresponding colour coded bag/container/safety box. Seventy four percent of the hospital departments observed did not display instructions for handling infectious materials. Inappropriate use of gloves, lack of health and safety instructions, and lack of use of eye protective glasses were more frequently observed at Dodoma Hospital than at Tumbi Hospital. The poor quality of the hospital records at the two hospitals hampered our effort to characterise the risk of HIV infection acquisition by HCWs. Greater data completeness in hospital records is needed to allow the determination of the actual risk of HIV transmission for HCWs. To further reduce the risk of HIV infection due to occupational exposure, hospitals should be equipped with sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) and HCWs should be reminded of the importance of adhering to universal precautions