With two main themes – the workshop “Awareness” and the forum “Companionship” – the festival “Promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities – developing enterprises” was just held by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in coordination with the People’s Committee of Hoi An City (Quang Nam) in Hoi An last weekend, in response to International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December 2013).
Phung Quang Huy, Director of the Employers’ Office (VCCI), said: “Removing barriers for people with disabilities is very important, not only for the benefit of these individuals and their families, but also for the benefit of the community and society. The contribution of Vietnamese enterprises will therefore be essential in creating a favourable environment to help people with disabilities integrate”.
State management agencies, enterprises and representatives of people with disabilities joined the forum “Companionship with people with disabilities”
Nguyen Hong Oanh, Director of the Center for Research and Action for Inclusive Development (IDEA), shared her views on the mistaken perceptions of people with disabilities that still exist in the community and are a barrier preventing people with disabilities from truly integrating, with enterprises also hesitant to employ workers with disabilities. “The truth is that all citizens are born with equal rights and equal employment opportunities”, Ms Nguyen Hong Oanh stressed. People with disabilities are just like people without disabilities. Even if one part of the body is impaired, other parts still function. Therefore they can still work, and can even work well.
Vu Thi Binh Minh, ILO National Coordinator, introduced the network of enterprises working towards accessible tourism for people with disabilities, ideas for renovating infrastructure and services suitable for tourists with disabilities, older people, and workplaces for workers with disabilities.
A large number of people with disabilities in Vietnam (more than three quarters) live in rural areas and go to school at a much lower rate than people without disabilities. In the workplace, very few people with disabilities have stable jobs and regular incomes. Many of them are still outside the formal employment system. The unemployment rate of this group is also higher than that of people without disabilities (estimated at over 30%).
Good experience in investing in equipment, facilities and services for tourists with disabilities from business establishments, and feedback from tourists with disabilities, was also a topic at the workshop that attracted the delegates’ attention.
According to ILO statistics, people with disabilities currently account for about 10% of the world’s population and have a great demand for tourism. In September 2013, the PROPEL (Promoting the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities: equality through law) and SIT (Strengthening tourism in the inland districts of Quang Nam province) projects jointly organised a training workshop for tourism establishments in Hoi An on how to communicate with customers with disabilities. A recent survey found that very few hotels in Quang Nam invest in service infrastructure such as dedicated rooms, access routes for the mobility aids of people with disabilities, and staff who have not been trained in service and communication skills for customers with disabilities. This situation exists not only in small establishments but also in large tourist areas and resorts, which receive little attention. Similarly, tourist attractions in the province are in the same situation. Besides enterprises paying little attention because of the extra costs, another reason is that there are not many tourists with disabilities, so enterprises invest little.
Speaking with us, Hua Thi Anh – Director of Phu Thinh Boutique & Spa Hotel, Head of the Hoi An Women’s Entrepreneurs Club – shared: “Through this festival, we truly feel the barriers that tourism enterprises need to remove soon in order to accompany people with disabilities in life as well as in work and production. Our enterprise is ready to harmonise ‘interests and profits’ in the course of business, especially for people with disabilities. In the near future, we will soon adjust our infrastructure for guests with disabilities, and we will also use products made by establishments of people with disabilities, such as environmentally friendly paper bags, and introduce products made by people with disabilities
to guests staying at the hotel”.
“With its character as an eco-cultural tourism city, Hoi An’s tourism industry will lead the way and create a destination with a diverse, friendly service environment that will not disappoint any visitor who comes to us, especially visitors with disabilities and older people. Promoting inclusion will create a positive change. Let us start from this thinking and awareness and act. We say: Yes! We can!” – the festival message of Hoi An City, announced by Truong Van Bay – Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee – ended the event amid the hall resounding with the song “Living in this life, one needs a kind heart…”.
It is hoped that the tourism industry of Hoi An – Quang Nam will open a new direction for people with disabilities to integrate, accompany and develop sustainably together in the years to come, with the long-term goal of “towards an inclusive society for people with disabilities”.
Xuyen Chi