Theme for International Day of Persons with disAbilities 2015
Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities
Today it is the International Day of Persons with disAbilities, and one of the sub themes this year is people with invisible disAbilities, which therefore includes people with dementia. Being recognised last week, in the National disAbility Awards places dementia rightfully into the disAbility space, and there is progress towards us being recognised under the United Nations Conventions of the Rights of Persons with DisAbilities, at last…
As part of my thinking about this, I felt it important to highlight our right to be employed, or continue in employment, if we are able to with reasonable adjustments, and still want to work in spite of having been diagnosed with a terminal chronic illness. It is, a human right, and a legal right to be supported to be in paid employment, and it is, in line with recommendations made in a report by ADI during World Alzheimer’s Month 2015, time organisations started employing people with dementia, in particular in the dementia friendly communities around the globe.
1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to work, on an equal basis with others; this includes the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work freely chosen or accepted in a labour market and work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities. States Parties shall safeguard and promote the realization of the right to work, including for those who acquire a disability during the course of employment, by taking appropriate steps, including through legislation, to, inter alia:
a) Prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability with regard to all matters concerning all forms of employment, including conditions of recruitment, hiring and employment, continuance of employment, career advancement and safe and healthy working conditions;
b) Protect the rights of persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others, to just and favourable conditions of work, including equal opportunities and equal remuneration for work of equal value, safe and healthy working conditions, including protection from harassment, and the redress of grievances;
c) Ensure that persons with disabilities are able to exercise their labour and trade union rights on an equal basis with others;
d) Enable persons with disabilities to have effective access to general technical and vocational guidance programmes, placement services and vocational and continuing training;
e) Promote employment opportunities and career advancement for persons with disabilities in the labour market, as well as assistance in finding, obtaining, maintaining and returning to employment;
f) Promote opportunities for self-employment, entrepreneurship, the development of cooperatives and starting one’s own business;
g) Employ persons with disabilities in the public sector;
h) Promote the employment of persons with disabilities in the private sector through appropriate policies and measures, which may include affirmative action programmes, incentives and other measures;
i) Ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided to persons with disabilities in the workplace;
j) Promote the acquisition by persons with disabilities of work experience in the open labour market;
k) Promote vocational and professional rehabilitation, job retention and return-to-work programmes for persons with disabilities.
2. States Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are not held in slavery or in servitude, and are protected, on an equal basis with others, from forced or compulsory labour.