EFC in line with decent work agenda
Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI
A crucial requirement for promotion of decent work is the creation of
an enabling environment for employment generation, Employers’ Federation
of Ceylon (EFC) Director General Ravi Peiris said.
Speaking at the National Meeting on Decent Work and People with
Disabilities in Colombo yesterday he said the EFC has identified two
strategic objectives in terms of Sri Lanka’s decent work agenda, one of
which was providing equal opportunities in employment and eliminating
discrimination.
“However, the concept of decent work needs to be operationalized in
concrete terms and the country must ensure the practical application of
this concept at the level of the enterprise, where work is performed and
the employment relationship exists,” he said.
Peiris said the EFC has provided more than 400 employment
opportunities through its Employers Network on disability and the secret
of its success was accepting people with good potential and talent who
could contribute to any organization. “The EFC acknowledge and recognize
the capabilities of those workers and try to fit them into the world of
work. They have a lot to contribute to an organization,” he said.
Integrating people with disabilities into the world of work is an
important area of work for the ILO. The subject is very important but
not much recognized.
“Since the early eighties, various international organizations have
taken initiatives aiming at promotion of full participation of disabled
persons in all aspects and sectors of society.
“Yet in most cases, society treats it as a side issue, in spite of
the many years of advocacy, lobbying, awareness raising, ILO Colombo
office Director Donglin Li said.
“More work needs to be done in this area to ensure society’s
acceptance of people with disabilities as productive human beings that
can contribute effectively to national economies, if the opportunities
are given to them.”
ILO Convention 159 looks at disability as a condition of occupational
disadvantage, which can and should be overcome through a number of
policy measures, regulations, programmes and services.
“The main principles that require attention are equality of
opportunity; equality of treatment; mainstreaming of training and
employment opportunities; community participation; and a consultative
process.” the ILO Director said. |