On 16 December 2015, at Dong A Plaza Hotel, Thai Nguyen City, the Center for Research and Action for Inclusive Development (IDEA) and the Thai Nguyen City Association of People with Disabilities jointly organised the launch ceremony of the project: “Promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in Viet Nam” funded by the Embassy of Finland and implemented in the two communes of Thinh Duc and Tan Cuong in Thai Nguyen City.
Attending the project launch ceremony were Ms. Annika Kaipola, Counsellor at the Embassy of Finland in Viet Nam; representatives of the provincial People’s Committee, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs; Ms. Nguyen Hong Oanh – Head of IDEA; members of the Thai Nguyen City Association of People with Disabilities; representatives of local agencies and departments, and local press and media agencies in Thai Nguyen.
Aiming for an inclusive society for people with disabilities in Viet Nam, and specifically to improve the inclusive environment for people with disabilities and strengthen their inclusion capacity in Thai Nguyen Province, the project “Promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in Viet Nam” will, through surveys and assessments of the abilities and needs of people with disabilities, the implementation of the Law on People with Disabilities and the implementation of policies on people with disabilities in the project area, set up a core group to continue building and promoting communication and advocacy to raise awareness and strengthen the capacity of people with disabilities, while demonstrating their value and potential in order to change prejudiced attitudes in society, help people with disabilities have a stronger voice, build collective strength in monitoring the effective implementation of the Law on People with Disabilities, and disseminate government support policies. The project will also equip people with disabilities with the basic knowledge and skills they need to exercise their rights and interests, so that they can confidently integrate equally into life, have opportunities to share information, improve their capacity and help one another earn a living, especially women and girls with disabilities, so that they can access opportunities in education, the economy, sustainable employment and stable income, etc.….
Photo: A survey visit by the project team with people with disabilities in Thinh Duc Commune
The project is expected to run for 27 months (September 2015–November 2017) with total funding of 210,000 EUR, implemented by IDEA in the two communes of Thinh Duc and Tan Cuong, Thai Nguyen City.
Photo: Ms. Nguyen Hong Oanh, Head of IDEA, speaking.
The project launch ceremony informed stakeholders and beneficiaries in the project area about the project’s purpose and objectives and its implementation plan and activities. The ceremony also provided an opportunity to exchange and share views on the difficulties and advantages of starting to implement the project, and on the expected outcomes for people with disabilities in the two communes of Tan Cuong and Thinh Duc, Thai Nguyen City, with the stakeholders.
ANH NGUYEN