Madam Speaker, according to the Housing and Population Census 2022, Mauritius had a total of 86,607 persons with disabilities. Of whom, 82,815 were aged 16 years and above. 42,674 persons were retired, 6,009 were employed while 927 were actively seeking employment. I am herewith tabling the relevant data of the Housing and Population Census 2022. As regard to part (a) of the question, I am informed by the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms that there are 110 persons with disabilities who are employed in the public sector. With regards to data for the private sector, I am informed that the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations keeps no such record at its level. According to the registry of persons with disabilities kept at the level of the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Board which is a parastatal body falling under the aegis of my Ministry, there are only 527 persons with disabilities who are registered with the Board, searching for an

50 employment or training. Only around 900 employers employing more than 35 persons with disabilities are registered with the Board. At present, the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Act 1996 provides that all employers with the workforce of 35 or more must employ 3% of their staff from among persons with disabilities. The Act also requires the maintenance of registers of persons with disabilities as well as the register of employers, the establishment of a Hearing Committee to review non-compliance and the possibility of requiring non-compliant employers to be fined. Although the above-mentioned framework was progressive for its time, it could not be effectively enforced and implemented due to various reasons, amongst them are lack of staff and associated resources. The number of trainings conducted over the years has systematically declined while reporting and compliance mechanisms have in turn remained weak. Madam Speaker, with regard to part (b) of the question, first, as I previously informed the House in my reply to a Parliamentary Question B/501 at the Sitting of 13 May 2025, my Ministry is currently working on reform initiatives for disability-related pensions and employability element will be included in the new assessment model. Thus, the scope of the new assessment model will include amongst others a job capacity evaluation of the persons with disabilities and the panel will channel all such cases to the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Board or eventually to the National Empowerment Authority under the coming new law. We are expecting the first phase of the reform to be enforced very soon. Second, with the coming of the not yet proclaimed the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2024, there will be a reviewed employment quota as well as new monthly contribution will be included for non-compliance employers to the quota system. Secondly, the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Act among others will be repealed and a single authority namely, the National Empowerment Authority will be set up to take over its functions. Third, every employer shall provide reasonable accommodation to any employee who is a person with disability unless the employer can prove that the required adjustment would unduly prejudice the operation of the trade or business run by such employer and every employer shall submit an annual report to the authority on the employment of person with disability employed in his organisation not later than the 31 March of every year.

51 Through these measures, this government is laying the foundation for a more inclusive labour market where persons with disabilities are able to access, retain and progress in employment on an equal basis with others, thereby fulfilling both national commitments and international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Dr. Prayag, question? I think it would be the last question. Hon. First Member for Rodrigues! RODRIGUES – MINISTER’S VISIT – JEUX DE LA COMMISSION DE LA JEUNESSE ET DES SPORTS DE L’OCEAN INDIEN