People with disabilities of all ages in Vietnam are expected to have better access to education, employment and protection services from 2015, following the launch of an initiative by the United Nations together with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and organisations of people with disabilities, aimed at helping people with disabilities take part in every step of the decision-making process and realise their rights.
80% of people with disabilities depend on help
People with disabilities are among the most vulnerable groups in society, facing stigma and discrimination and many barriers to accessing health care, education, transport and other public services… With education and training still limited, people with disabilities still find it hard to get stable jobs and regular incomes. In particular, employers still discriminate and dare not employ people with disabilities, so the vast majority of people with disabilities, about 80%, depend on their families, relatives or social allowances to make a living.
Mr. Nguyen Trong Dam, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, stressed that Vietnam constantly cares for vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities. The Law on People with Disabilities was passed and came into effect on 1 January 2011. The Law sets out 10 main policy measures, including health care, education, vocational training, job creation and social protection… Alongside it, the Scheme to Support People with Disabilities for 2012–2020 was approved in August 2012, with the aim of supporting people with disabilities to develop their abilities to meet their own needs and creating conditions for them to participate equally in socio-economic activities and contribute to building the community and society. Mr. Nguyen Trong Dam said that bringing people with disabilities into all aspects of the development process depends on the spirit, responsibility and involvement of public authorities, social organisations and businesses, and on implementation capacity. At present, people with disabilities in poor rural areas still face many difficulties and hardships.
Change attitudes, change lives
Lan Anh, representing the Centre for Action for Community Development, shared: “I am a person with a disability, and I felt very self-conscious when I realised how different I was from the people around me, and I was bewildered, not knowing what would happen when faced with choices about life, work and career. However, I have realised that the opportunity for me and others in the same situation to integrate into society is not difficult, if we receive attention and support from the community”. And Nguyen Phuong Anh, a girl with brittle bone disease known to many through her emotional singing, broke down stereotypes about people with disabilities: “People’s attitudes will decide whether we are ordinary people like everyone else or people with disabilities. I want to speak out to draw everyone’s attention to the very important issue of helping people with disabilities live inclusively and go to school”.
Illustrative photo
However, an officer of the Centre for Action for Community Development shared: at present, there are still many barriers for people with disabilities in integrating into the community. Even in legal aid, for people with disabilities to receive assistance, they must prove that they are in difficult circumstances before they can receive free assistance. This is itself an obstacle to people with disabilities’ access to the law.
An initiative with a total investment of about USD 350,000, supported by the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD), will enable organisations of people with disabilities (DPOs) to participate actively and work with the Government in effectively implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The joint initiative of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will help bring people with disabilities into every step of the decision-making process by strengthening the capacity and role of DPOs in advocacy communications, and in developing, implementing and monitoring laws and policies. Through this, Vietnam will receive further technical support and resources to help competent authorities and organisations of and for people with disabilities strengthen their capacity to carry out their tasks in advising on and developing policies, and organising and implementing programmes and schemes to support people with disabilities effectively, as set out in the targets, contributing to bringing the Law on People with Disabilities into life.
Ha Nhan – http://baobaovephapluat.vn