Democracy and Political Governance Chapter 3 or allocating wages, salaries or pensions, and when determining other matters about employment. The act established a Board for Training and Employment of Disabled Persons to prevent discrimination against them. 341. The National Council for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons Act of 1986 established the National Council for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (NCRD). This is a parastatal body under the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare and Reform Institutions. The National Pensions Act of 1976 guarantees benefits to disabled people, while the Building (Accessibility to and Facilities for Disabled Persons) Regulations of 2005 (GN 118 of 2005) require that public buildings are accessible to disabled people. The promotion and protection of the welfare of vulnerable groups 342. 343. There are other institutions that cater for the concerns and welfare of disabled people. They include: • • • 344. 148 The Disability Unit of the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare and Reform Institutions is a focal point for the training and employment of disabled people. The unit liaises with governmental organisations and NGOs that provide a wide range of services to disabled children and adults in Mauritius. The Physically Handicapped Welfare Association. It provides vocational training in industrial sewing to persons with physical disabilities, runs a sheltered workshop where trainees with physical disabilities produce garments, uniforms and curtains, and does work subcontracted to it by Air Mauritius and other companies. The Lois Lagesse Trust Fund. Its main objective is to educate, train and find employment for disabled people. The Mauritius Union of the Blind. It runs a school for people with visual disabilities and prepares visually impaired children and adults for integration into society. The Mauritius Mental Health Association, the Cypres Handicapped Association and the Association de Parents d���Enfants Inadaptés de l’Ile Maurice cater for people with mental health disabilities. The Cypres Handicapped Association also organises leisure activities for its members. It is involved in handicraft products. Chapter 3 ii. • • • Democracy and Political Governance The Society for the Welfare of the Deaf operates a school for children with hearing impairments. Established in 1991, the Trust Fund for the Social Integration of Vulnerable Groups operates under the MOFEE. It aims at assisting the most needy and vulnerable persons by financing community development projects and microcredit schemes. It also gives loans to needy students. Several other organisations offer training and employmentrelated services to people with all categories of disabilities. They include the United Skills Workers Cooperative Society Ltd, Craft Aid Ltd, the Flacq Disabled Centre and Maison d’Entre-Aide (self-help home), which is run and managed by disabled women. Members of the latter two organisations are involved in embroidery and garment making. Findings of the CRM Persons with disabilities 345. The 2000 Population Census Report on Disability noted that there were 40,790 disabled people. This is an increase of 46.5 per cent in the number of disabled persons between 1990 and 2000. 346. The constitution protects disabled people. Sections 3 and 16 prevent discrimination, although it has no specific prohibition on discrimination because of disability. There is also no specific law on the rights of disabled people that outlines what their substantive civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights are. However, as the CSAR noted, the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Act of 1996 protects their employment and social rights. 347. Disabled people have excellent social protection. They are eligible for the Basic Invalidity Pension. This is a pension for all invalids and for all persons who were 60 per cent disabled in the past six months. People with severe disabilities who require extra help get a carer’s allowance. About 27,000 people with severe disabilities currently get this allowance. Social aid is also available in some instances. Disabled people are also entitled to free bus transport, and scholarships are sometimes earmarked specifically for disabled children. 348. The government is promoting the right of accessibility by disabled people through various enabling policies and laws. The CSAR noted, for example, that the Building Act requires that public buildings are built to make them accessible to disabled people. 149