The Ministry's collegium also approved 54 professional and qualification standards
As the next step in strengthening the provision of rehabilitation aids to persons with disabilities, the list of rehabilitation aids provided to them at the expense of the state budget will be further expanded. This was announced at the collegium meeting held at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population.
Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, Sahil Babayev, emphasized the significant role of social protection and rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities in President Ilham Aliyev's successful social policy. It was noted that not only the steps taken in this area were discussed, but also the establishment of the rehabilitation system in line with modern requirements over the past five years. As a result of the work done, it was pointed out that the annual number of persons with disabilities receiving rehabilitation services has increased by 7.3 times.
It has been reported that based on the proposals of the Ministry in 2020, 23 additional types of rehabilitation aids were added to the list of rehabilitation aids provided to those individuals at the expense of the state budget. It is noted that the newly prepared proposals aim to increase the number of rehabilitation aid types from 57 to 81 on that list.
It has been noted that efforts to improve labor legislation are ongoing, and for this purpose, new draft amendments to the Labor Code are being prepared. Discussions have taken place regarding informational events held jointly with employers and social partners in Baku and various regions in connection with World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
It has been reported that last year, 141 children were taken into custody, while in the first quarter of this year, 35 children were taken into care. As a result of reintegration measures, it was reported that in 2023, 177 children were returned to their biological families, and in the first three months of this year, 39 children were returned from social service institutions to their biological families. Additionally, it was noted that measures have been taken to prevent 62 children from being placed in state orphanages during the months of January to March this year, through the use of social support mechanisms and awareness-raising activities.
It has been reported that currently, more than 50 types of social benefits are being proactively determined through electronic systems. It was noted that there are plans to proactively determine pension benefits for individuals entitled to early retirement benefits for children, and a draft law regarding this matter is being prepared. Additionally, it was emphasized that a mechanism will be developed to proactively determine the highest amount of pension from among two or more types of pensions for eligible individuals.
It has been reported that in recent years, 1064 professional and qualification standards have been prepared and approved, and they have been placed in the "Registry of Profession and Qualification Standards" on the e-sosial.az portal. It was also mentioned that plans are in place to prepare 300 new standards for this year. Additionally, it was noted that the Ministry has prepared 54 more standards in the fields of public catering and food, finance, processing, and agriculture. These new standards were discussed and approved by the collegium.
During the meeting, the work and upcoming tasks in the fields of labor policy, child custody, social insurance and pensions, disability, rehabilitation, etc. were discussed.
Additionally, a pilot project aimed at increasing employment opportunities for autistic youth and their family members has been approved to provide support.
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