19 September | 12:30-13:30 ICT

Partnerships for Progress: Upholding Labour Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Asia-Pacific

Organized by:

International Labour Organization
UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Background

The session highlights the human rights generally, and the labour rights specifically, of persons with disabilities as a marginalised group, which can be and are already protected and promoted by leading companies in the APAC business community. MNEs, regionally and nationally operating companies as well as SMEs in APAC show a growing commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities in their policies, programmes and workforces.

As the promotion of disability rights in the private, for-profit sector is a learning process, National Business and Disability Networks (NBDNs), including in several APAC countries, provide a space for companies to join their peers that share the same values and commitment on disability inclusion to exchange on this topic and benefit from the expertise of actors from the disability sector. At global level, the APAC NBDNs are part of the more than forty NBDN members of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN), which also comprised more than forty MNEs committed to disability inclusion.

Key Objectives

Position the rights of persons with disabilities, specifically their labour rights, as integral part of APAC discussions on business and human rights
Showcase the already existing leadership by APAC businesses on the promotion of the (labour) rights of persons with disabilities
Highlight National Business and Disability Networks in APAC as effective mechanisms to support companies on their disability rights journey
Inform about effective, human rights-based ways to attract, employ and promote the careers of persons with disabilities in companies
Debrief on the outcomes of the ILO GBDN's hybrid 2nd APAC regional conference "Catalyst for Change: Disability-Inclusive Business in APAC" (17 September 2025, Singapore)

Guiding Questions

What are common misconceptions about persons with disabilities and how have you tried to change them in your company / when working with companies?
What are the key benefits and effective approaches of attracting, employing and promoting the careers of persons with disabilities in companies?
How have National Business and Disability Networks supported companies on their disability inclusion journey?
How can non-business entities, including Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, workers’ organisations and public authorities, best support companies in protecting and promoting the (labour) rights of persons with disabilities?

Background Documents