The International Labour Organization (ILO) brought together government officials from around the South-East Asian region recently to share good practices in implementing disability-inclusive employment services, with the aim of leaving no one behind in the labour market.
Held in Siem Reap, Cambodia 28-29 August 2024, the workshop saw some 30 participants from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam gain an overview of national and international policy frameworks on disability rights.
They also discussed good practices in rolling out inclusive employment policies from different countries. Issues relating to accessibility, skills development programmes for persons with disabilities, and partnerships with the private sector and employers' organizations were also on the agenda.
© Tarinee Youkhaw/ILO
The regional knowledge sharing event also reinforced the participating countries' commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities and promoting their active participation in society as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Participants reiterated the importance of prioritizing disability inclusion in public employment services and exchanged practical experiences through a South-South and Triangular Cooperation approach, enabling participating countries from the Global South to learn from one another, measures that could be applied to enhance service delivery.
"The significance of disability inclusion in economic development is increasingly acknowledged in the ASEAN region. Consequently, this two-day technical workshop is both timely and crucial. By collaborating and learning from each other through this platform, we can develop more effective strategies for supporting persons with disabilities in achieving their employment goals," said H.E. Kuoch Somean, Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training of Cambodia.
"This workshop marks a significant step towards fostering a collaborative environment where experiences, challenges, and successes can be exchanged in implementing inclusive employment for persons with disabilities," said Xiaoyan Qian, Director, ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific and Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic.
© Tarinee Youkhaw/ILO
This initiative was led by the ILO Promoting the Global Development Initiative with a Focus on South-South Cooperation in Employment in ASEAN, in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People's Republic of China and the National Employment Agency under the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training of Cambodia, to promote South-South Cooperation between South-East Asian countries and China in high-quality employment and public employment services.
