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317 – Costa Rica’s National Plan for Vocational Integration of Persons
with Disabilities (2012), Costa Rica
Responsible body: Ministry of Work and Social Security
Country of implementation: Costa Rica
Beneficiaries targeted: Person with disabilities, aged from 15 to 35 years
SUMMARY
Costa Rica’s National Plan for Vocational Integration of People with Disabilities was adopted in 2012 to enable the
acceleration of vocational integration of persons with disabilities, by eliminating the most serious bottlenecks identified.
It comprises five objectives: Boosting the employability profile of people with disabilities; Increasing workplace demand;
Strengthening job intermediation services ; Encouraging development of enterprises by people with disabilities; and
Promoting institutional synergies and coordination of actions aimed at vocational integration of people with disabilities.
CONTEXT/P ROBLEMS TARGETED (WITH ADDITIONS FROM THE ZERO P ROJECT T EAM)
To draft the Plan, the methodology known as the ‘MDG Acceleration Framework’ (MAF) was used, which is a support
tool for drawing up national action plans to speed up progress towards achieving the MDGs. Four workshops were held
for this purpose. The outcomes of these were supplemented by interviews with experts, focus groups and a literature
review. Participants in these activities included representatives from organizations of people with disabilities,
government bodies, academia, non-governmental organizations and the business sector. This document represents the
outcome of this participatory process. It was based on a research process that identified challenges and issues for the
problem in question.
OBJECTIVES/GOALS
To enable the acceleration of vocational integration of persons with disabilities, by eliminating the most serious
bottlenecks identified.
KEY F EATURES (W ITH ADDITIONS FROM THE ZERO P ROJECT TEAM)
Costa Rica’s National Plan for Vocational Integration of People with Disabilities is to be classified as national non-legally
binding policy, which serves as a tool to boost the human development of persons with disabilities. The Plan is
structured in five chapters:
1. Chapter one presents a profile of the national population with disabilities, in particular their access to
education, transport and employment;
2. Chapter two summarizes the regulatory and institutional framework and policies in force in relation to disability
(see Context);
3. Chapter three describes prioritized interventions relating to increase employment of persons with disabilities
(Training; Inclusive employers; Intermediation for workplace inclusion; and Entrepreneurship);