Committee Description:

The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.

The Council is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by the UN General Assembly. The Human Rights Council replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
 

Description of the Topic:

In the world there will always be people with disabilities, whether intellectual or physical. Society, a cause of the lack of culture or ignorance, directly and indirectly discriminates people with these conditions. In the workplace the most affected are these people, since the systems, programs and organizational structures are not suited to their needs, due to the fact that these represent a significant cost to the enterprises.

 

History of the topic:

According to the International Labour Office "in the world about 470 million people suffer from a disability". People who have some type of disability, whether physical or mental, are usually discriminated against in the workplace to the extent that they are often assigned low-wage jobs or even may never succeed to get some employment. In Europe, a survey that resulted in 52% of people with disabilities do not get job in any company and worldwide in the survey it was found that 80% of disabled people are unemployed. This is because companies often do not want to invest in this type of people who do not believe and are efficient development in their companies with this type of people working there.

Current situation:

The world and its businesses have become more open minded regarding the acceptance of people with disabilities in their workplace. However, the positions granted aren’t high ranks, but rather simple positions where they aren’t allowed to develop their abilities or increase their opportunities as an employee. Also, this doesn’t eliminate the fact that even within these enterprises, work people discriminate these people because they see them as a burden that only hinders the development of the company.

Conclusion:

It is known that businesses today are more open to accepting people with disabilities; however the positions allocated to them most of the time are of low rank. Apart from that many employees see them as a nuisance and criticize them. A very serious problem is also presented in these companies is that they are not prepared psychologically nor with the materials necessary to help these people to fully develop the company.

 

References:

 

About the Council . (n.d.). Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights / OHCHR Welcome page . Retrieved October 17, 2013, from http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/AboutCouncil.aspx

 

Oficina Internacional del Trabajo (N.D), “Discapacidad en el lugar de trabajo”. Retrieved  on october 20, 2013 from:  from:http://www.ilo.org/public/spanish/dialogue/actemp/downloads/publications/working_paper_n3_sp.pdf

 

ILO. (2013). Skills and Employability Department. Retrieved  on october 20, 2013 from: http://www.ilo.org/skills/lang--en/index.htm