Employment &Health Rights of

Persons with Disabilitiesin Bangladesh

INFO BOOK

Employment &Health Rights of

Persons with Disabilitiesin Bangladesh

ActionAid Bangladesh

InfoBook

House 8 (Old), SE(C) 5/B (New), Road 136,Gulshan 1, Dhaka 1212

Phone: +88 02 55044851-7, Fax: +88 02 55044858Email: aab.mail@actionaid.org

Web: www.actionaid.org/bangladesh

Developed and Compiled byMd. Abdul Koddus (Jahid)

Edited by

Md. Khairul IslamRubayat Ahsan

Being disabled should not meanbeing disquali�ed from

having access to every aspect of life.

Emma ThompsonBritish Actress and Writer

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Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries of the world, with around 160 million people living on its small land. The World Bank estimated that as of 2011, 15% of the world's population lives with disability. According to the World Disability Report (2011), the number of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh has reached 16.1 million, with a proportion of 75% adults and 25% children. Persons with disabilities are less likely to access basic services such as education, employment and healthcare due to stigma, discrimination and inaccessibility. Hence, the lack of access to information of about essential services and programmes leads to their further marginalisation and exclusion.

While Bangladesh has recently transitioned from a Least Developed Country (LDC) to Lower Middle-Income Country (LMIC) according to the World Bank, the country now presumably has the capacity to provide safety nets to its citizens. According to the International Convention on Human Rights, every citizen has an equal right to receive state-provided services, e.g. the right to education, right to adequate food, housing and social security irrespective of nationality, place of birth and residence, gender, national or ethnic origin, race, religion or identity. Persons with disabilities are entitled to the same rights guaranteed by International human rights treaties.

According to an estimate of the World Bank in 2011, around3.4 million children and 10.2 million adults are living with

disabilities in Bangladesh.

Children with Disabilities (0-18)

75%

Adults with Disabilities (18+)

25%

Disability

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Disability is human condition to which nobody is immune. It is a social issue, a societal problem, as well as a physical one. It is not necessary to have a physical disability to face such issues; social attitudes also can make a person disabled by restricting him or her from access to certain services.

Disability is an umbrella term which includes -

Physical impairments - Impairment is a problem in body functions or structure(s)

Activity limitations - An activity limitation is a dif�culty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action

Participation restrictions - Participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

International and NationalLegislative Initiative On 13 December 2006, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to promote, protect and ensure full access and equal participation of persons with disabilities to all human rights and fundamental freedoms. The convention encompasses a number of key areas, such as accessibility, personal mobility, education, health, rehabilitation and employment.

In Bangladesh, the Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2013 was enacted as a means to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. The act is meant to guarantee educational, physical and mental development of persons with disabilities, as well as support their participation in social and state activities by preventing discrimination and removing barriers. The law put forth 16 rights of persons with disabilities which are provided through

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I choose not to place `Dis' in my ability

Robert M. HanselGuinness World Records holder

for the longest non-stop wheelie in a wheelchair

Convention on the Rights of Persons with DisabilitiesArticle 3: General Principles

a) Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy including the freedom to make one's own choices, and independence of persons;

b) Non-discrimination;c) Full and effective participation and inclusion in

society;d) Respect for difference and acceptance of

persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity;

e) Equality for opportunityf) Accessibilityg) Equality between men and womenh) Respect for the evolving capacities of children

with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities.

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their National Identity Cards. As part of these 16 rights, employment is mentioned in section 10 of the Act, stating that ‘person with disability have right to be employed in government and private institutions’. Persons with disabilities have the diversi�ed knowledge, skills and abilities to succeed in today's rapidly changing workplace. From company headquarters to the factory door, technology continues to radically alter the way individuals work, helping to create level the playing �eld for individuals with disabilities and as a result, employers get maximum bene�t from their productive output.

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This Info book providesstakeholders and persons withdisabilities with information on:

Disability and responsibilities

The process of enrolling in the sector

The gaps and requirements

Means of access in the public services

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Commitments and Drawbacks Persons with disabilities face dif�culties in accessing government and private sector jobs even though jobs are reserved for them through quotas: 10% of third and fourth grade jobs are reserved for orphans and persons with disabilities for, as well as 1% of �rst and second grade jobs. But due to lack of sensitization of employers about the potential of persons with disabilities, contradictory employment policies, loopholes in the system and improper monitoring, the declared quota for the persons with disabilities has never been implemented properly (Disabilities Rights Watch Group, 2010).

It is also known that some companies have an interest in recruiting persons with disabilities, but cannot do so as there is a lack of trained and educated persons with disabilities. It is time to start employing persons with disabilities. This will help protect and promote their right to employment, as well as support national development. We need to think about the abilities of persons with disabilities, rather their disabilities.

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Focusing on ability, not disability1

Reason 1Innovation - different paths, new discoveriesPersons with Disabilities are constantly innovating, as they often need to �nd different ways to accomplish common tasks. This type of creative thinking can translate into the creation of new processes in the workplace that can improve the work environment for all employees.

Reason 2Of�ce Culture - the bene�ts of another perspectivePersons with disabilities add to the rich culture of the workplace and can even use their experiences to help employers and colleagues gain new perspectives.

Reason 3Social Cohesion - creating a positive environmentPerhaps the most visible impact of workplace diversity is the effect it has on daily relationships within the workforce.

81http://www.qualityo�ifeobserver.com/content/5-reasons-why-focusing-ability-not-disability-improves-workplace

Employees with disabilities overwhelmingly expressed positive attitudes towards their bosses and colleagues, with more than 90% citing that they got along well with their supervisors. These types of positive relationships can have an overall impact on the quality of life at work.

Reason 4Performance - numbers don't lieIntegrating employees with disabilities is, more than ever, a savvy business decision. It is showed that workers with disabilities are more consistently rated average or above average in terms of performance, quality and quantity of work.

Reason 5Reliability - someone you can count onEmployees with disabilities are often described by their employers as, having a strong commitment to work, as well as good punctuality records and lower absentee rates.

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Long-term tips for employers2

Hiring - Encourage person with disability to apply.

Preparation - Persons with disabilities will be able to contribute more if they can be given some training or other orientation to their work.

Work- �ow - Choosing and adjusting work according to their capabilities, interest and skills will make sure that they can do more.

Monitoring and Encouraging - Regular conversation and encouraging with employees with disabilities will make sure they have everything they need to work.

Accessibility - Physical environment and communica-tions may need some adjustments

Partnership - Organizations working on disability can support the actions listed here.

102Bangladesh Employers Federation and ILO

Pro-disability employers

In 2014, ActionAid Bangladesh conducted a study on “Mapping of Prospective Employers for Young Persons with Disabilities”. We found that approximately 255 jobs were expected to be generated in 2015 for persons with disabilities. To select the pro-disability employers, four factors were considered. We de�ned pro-disability employers as those who ful�l at least three of the four following factors:

At least 5 employees with disabilities

Accessible work environment

Future demand of recruiting persons with disabilities

Mention of disability in the Human Resource Policy

The study found 37 potential employers who have partial accessibility for enabling work environment for persons with disabilities.

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Yearly FutureDemand ofEmployees

with Disabilities

SL # Name of EmployeeTotal #

Employees withDisabilities

1. ABA Group (Vintage Denim) 6 2

2. Acme Group 5 3

3. AKH Group (woven) 13 10

4. Aman Knitting Limited 28 3

5. Banglalink 5 2

6. Bitobi Garments 25 12

7. Chrony Group 50 7

8. Crystal Martin Apparel (BD) Limited 9 2

9. Dhaka South City Corporation 10 4

10. Epyllion Group 15 3

11. Fakruddin Textile Limited 64 3

12. FCI (BD) Limited 30 6

13. HopYick (BD) Limited 15 6

14. Interfab Shirt Manufacturing Ltd. 61 30

15. Intersoft Apparels Limited 50 8

16. KEYA Group (Partly accessible) 1100 100

17. Mahdeen Sweaters Limited 17 4

18. Meditex 7 2

19. Mohammadia Garments 8 3

20. Monno Ceramic Industries Limited 20 4

21. Narayangonj City Corporation 5 4

22. Nitol Niloy Group 12 1

23. One Way Textile 5 8

24. Paola Knitwear Private Limited 6 1

25. Pandora Sweaters Limited 22 4

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Yearly FutureDemand ofEmployees

with Disabilities

SL # Name of EmployeeTotal #

Employees withDisabilities

26. Paula Knit Limited 5 2

27. Rahimafrooz Superstores Ltd. 5 1

28. Renata Limited 16 3

29. Saiham Knit Composite Limited 5 1

30. Samson Winter Wear Industries Ltd. 6 2

31. Shanta Industries Limited 18 5

32. Southern Garments 8 2

33. SQ Brichina Limited 6 3

34. SQ Celsius Limited 18 6

35. Square Group 82 6

36. Tongi Moitree Shilpa 46 5

37. Viyellatex Limited 25 3

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Why are Technical and VocationalEducation and Training (TVET)required?

It's all to do with the training:You can do a lot if you're properly trained

Elizabeth IIQueen of Great Britain

Persons with disabilities often �nd it very dif�cult to obtain formal education. Even if some persons with disabilities go to school, they cannot continue their education due to issues such as lack of accessibility, unavailability of resources, negative attitudes, etc. As such, if person with disabilities could get training on any speci�c task, this could signi�cantly contribute to their ability to work or to get a job. We believe that a highly trained workforce is the backbone of a strong and diverse economy. Trained and skilled manpower is an asset for a country. Employers hire and give more emphasis to trained people in their recruiting process due to their higher productivity.

A person with disability is able to receive training in the following �elds, depending on their interests and available facilities: sewing machine operating, computer technology, printing, agriculture, livestock, aquaculture, automobiles,

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library management, typewriting, secretarial practices, computer operating, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, tailoring, beautician etc. The Government of Bangladesh has endorsed the National Skills Development Policy in 2011, whereby all facilities of vocational training are clearly mentioned under Article-14 should improve access of Under-Represented Groups.

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ActivitiesVocational training and rehabilitation support for the persons with physical disabilities

ServicesAccommodation, caretaking and treatment supportShort-duration industrial training for different types of persons with disabilitiesSports and cultural programmesEmployment and rehabilitation programmesStipend of Taka 4,000 as a part of rehabilitation after completion of trainingJobs in the ERPH Centre, depending on vacancy Assistance in seeking employment in the government and private sectors

EligibilityPersons with physical disabilities between 14 and 24 years old

Timeline of ServiceAdmission procedure will be �nalized within 15 days of applicationTraining duration varies between 3 and 12 months depending on type of trade

List of some Important VocationalTraining Institutes

Employment Rehabilitation Centre for thePhysically Handicapped (ERPH)

Station Road, Tongi, Gazipur (Total seat: 85)Fakirhat, Bagerhat (Total seat: 30)

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National Training and Rehabilitation Centrefor the Persons with Visual Disabilities

Tongi, GazipurTotal seat: 50

ActivitiesNational initiative for the training and rehabilitation for persons with visual disabilities

ServicesAccommodation, caretaking and treatment supportHandicrafts training using bamboo and cane, poultry rearing and movement practice for persons with visual disabilitiesSports and cultural programmesEmployment and rehabilitation programmesStipend of Taka 4,000 as a part of rehabilitation after completion of trainingAssistance in seeking employment in the government and private sectors

EligibilityPersons with visual disabilities between 14 and 24 years old

Timeline of ServiceAdmission procedure will be �nalized within 15 days of applicationTraining duration varies between 3 and 12 months depending on type of trade

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ActivitiesProduction and marketing of plastic goods, jewellery, and puri�ed water

ServicesTaking order and supplying plates, glasses, bowls, tea cups, vessels, buckets, hangers, mugs, boxes, one-time use plastic goods of various sizes for home or of�cial use. These are produced in fully automated ultramodern facilities, with high standards and quality.Producing, bottling, marketing and supplying of safe drinking water in different sizes of bottles, which are manufactured through reverse osmosis by imported, automated machinery.

EligibilityEveryone, with an 80% job quota for persons with disabilities who will receive �rst receive training according to needGovernment, non-government, in-country or foreign of�ces, institutes and organizationsGoods marketing agents, agencies, dealers and wholesalers.

Timeline of ServiceGenerally supply immediately after getting the order

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Moitree Shilpo (Friendship Industry)Station Road, Tongi, GazipurPhone: 980 1167, 980 0302, 980 1489

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Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP)CRP-Chapain, Savar, Dhaka 1343Phone: +880 2 774 5464-65

Ganakbari, Sreepur, DEPZ, Ashulia, Savar, Dhaka 1349Phone: +880 2 778 9281

ActivitiesVocational training on different trades

ServicesFree vocational training, including food, accommodation and training materialsVTI supports the trainees with medical and assisting devices and equipment for self-employmentCerti�cates from the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) after completion of courseOpportunities to take part in national and international competitionsVTI ensures job in prestigious companies especially in garments and sweater factories after successful completion of coursesOpportunities for participating in the different cultural programmesSpecial allowances for each person with disability after end of trainingSupport for transportation, house rent and job tasks during the �rst phase of employmentRegular monitoring to remove discrimination, provide a disability-friendly working environment, remunerationand other opportunities by the authority of CRP.

Non-Government Organization thoseprovide TVET for Persons withDisabilities

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EligibilityMost are persons with Spinal Cord Injuries and other persons with disabilities such as Polio, Amputees, Visual, Speech and Hearing from poorer backgrounds and work as manual labourers.

Timeline of ServiceComputer Of�ce Application (6 months)General Electronics (6 months)Dress Making & Tailoring (6 months)Industrial Sewing Machine Operator (2 or 4 months)Linking Machine Operator (2 months)Shop Management (1 month)

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Ministry of Social WelfarePeoples Republic of Bangladesh

Contact:Managing DirectorNational Foundation for Development of the Disabled PersonsHouse A/2, Section 14, Mirpur, Dhaka 1206Phone: +880 2 803 350, E-mail: jpuf38@yahoo.com

ActivitiesDisability Service Centre

ServicesOne-stop service centre for persons with disabilities;

Free treatment services for all types of persons with disabilities, including Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Refraction, Hearing test and Hearing Aid

Distribution and repair of assistive devices

Distribution of free learning materials

Library facilities

Collection and preservation of information of persons with disabilities

Internet services

EligibilityAll types of persons with disabilities of all ages

Timeline of ServiceDirectly serves to the persons with disabilities in of�ce hours from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM everyday (except Government & others holiday).

Health and Rehabilitation Service

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Jesse VenturaFormer American wrestler, actor and Governor of Minnesota

Disabled persons need more investedin their education, housing, job training, transportation, assistive technology and

independent-living facilities. Governments earn back this investment and more by

making persons with disabilities economically productive citizens.