A project to promote the rights of people with disabilities, with a total investment of 350,000 USD, has just been launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs on 7 October.
This project is a joint initiative of the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNDP and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to strengthen the capacity and role of organisations of people with disabilities in building, implementing and monitoring laws and policies for people with disabilities.
Illustrative photo
Under this project, people with disabilities of all ages in Vietnam will have better access to education, employment and social services from 2015.
People with disabilities make up 15.3% of Vietnam’s population. They are among the most vulnerable groups in society. They face stigma and discrimination every day, and many restrictions in accessing healthcare, education and other basic public services.
With generally low levels of education and training, people with disabilities often find it hard to get stable work and a regular income. The great majority of them (up to 80%) have to rely on family, relatives or social allowances to support themselves.
Vietnam is one of the first countries to sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and is actively considering ratifying the Convention. However, Vietnam still lacks appropriate mechanisms to fully meet the needs of protecting people with disabilities and enabling them to exercise their rights.
At the project launch ceremony, Ms. Pratibha Mehta, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, called on the Government of Vietnam and partners to respond better to the rights and needs of people with disabilities.
The three agencies – ILO, UNDP and UNICEF – will work with the Hanoi Association of People with Disabilities and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Vietnam Federation on Disability, the Action for Community Development Centre and the Disability and Development Centre… to implement the project./.
Hong Kieu – http://www.vietnamplus.vn