Framework for Occupational Safety, Health and Employability Reintegration Initiatives for Disabled People within CEMAC Countries

Abstract

In any country in the world including within CEMAC countries, access to work is a public initiative that aims to help able and disabled peoples to integrate into or remain in a work setting. Unfortunately, some incidents and impediments may prevent disabled individuals to not easily have access to work sites. This paper brings a programme for organizations which provides support to disabled people who are seeking work, including funding of adaptations and purchase of special equipment, based on the established needs of the individual applicants to fulfill their needs. In this paper, the programme is about targeting groups of unemployed disabled people and employed disabled people at risk of becoming unemployed. In this paper, a programme will be developed aiming to enable disabled peoples to compete on an equal footing with their non-disabled colleagues. As it is going to be highlighted, this initiative will part of a larger movement within CEMAC countries Welfare policy towards the American model of ‘Welfare to Work’. As it going to be developed, the programme targets adults with disabilities who present themselves to the Job-Centre. They may be unemployed or already in employment, or perhaps wishing to change jobs. In addition, disabled people who are already in work, but who may need any of the supports provided by the service are also a target group. With the objectives of CEMAC countries to move to developmental states, integrating or reintegrating long-term disabled people at work is not only an activity to be undertaken by regional governmental organisations; but also social partners can also play a role. These organizations can carried out in partnership with local actors, both public and private, activities with the objectives of promoting enterprises’ awareness of their obligations regarding the hiring of disabled employees and the aids from which they can benefit and supports available to maintain employees declared unfit for work in different jobs.

Keywords: Occupational safety, health and employability reintegration initiatives, CEMAC