Children with disabilities in a functional rehabilitation class in Hung Yen Province.

The overall objective of the programme is to promote the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Vietnamese Law on Persons with Disabilities, to improve the quality of life of disabled people, create conditions for the people participate equally in social activities, build a barrier-free environment, ensure the legal rights of people with disabilities and support them to develop their capabilities.

Under the programme, by 2030, annually about 90 per cent of people with disabilities are hoped to have access to health services in different forms and 80 per cent of children from birth to six years old are screened for early detection of birth defects, developmental disorders and given early intervention for various types of disabilities.

Additionally, about 70,000 children and people with disabilities will be given orthopaedic surgery, functional rehabilitation and provided with appropriate assistive devices.

The programme also sets a target of 90 per cent of children with disabilities having access to education from pre-school to high school.

About 300,000 people with disabilities who are in need and eligible will be offered vocational training and job support.

The programme aims for 70 per cent of provinces and cities nationwide having sports clubs attracting 15 per cent of disabled people to participate in physical training and sporting activities.

About 20 per cent of people with disabilities will be supported to take part in cultural, artistic and performing arts activities and all provincial public libraries will organise reading space for the disabled.

According to a survey conducted by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam last year, the total number of people with disabilities was 6.2 million, accounting for 7 per cent of the population.

In addition, 13 per cent of the population, nearly 12 million people, were living in households with people with disabilities.

This rate is expected to increase as the population ages.

According to the survey, households with members with disabilities were often poorer, children with disabilities were less likely to go to school than their peers, and employment opportunities for people with disabilities were scarcer.  VNS

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