In Vietnam, the implementation of basic rights of people with disabilities has changed dramatically

Many people with disabilities have access to social security, health, education and employment support services.

However, with nearly 8 million people, or 7.8% of the population, the majority of the people with disabilities have not been fully guaranteed their rights.

Recently, at the workshop "The role of the association of people with disabilities in the implementation of the UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities", Ms. Nguyen Hong Ha, Director of the Center for Independent Living Support affirmed: "People with disabilities are also capable, if they are integrated equally, encouraged and facilitated, then people with disabilities will develop their abilities. We want to live independently and become useful people for society.”

According to Mr. Dang Van Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association for People with Disabilities, the current conditions for implementing quality educational activities for people with disabilities are limited. The reason is that schools are lacking of teachers who are trained in terms of knowledge and methods to teach children with disabilities. The system of centers for inclusive education support at the provincial level – the solution to improve the quality of inclusive education – has not been widely spread across the country. In the education program for people with disabilities, it is not encouraged to develop other flexible forms of education in public such as distance education and home education.

It is necessary to enhance the image of people with disabilities in the media in a way that is based on the rights of people with disabilities and positive equality.

In real life, discrimination against people with disabilities still exists. At the same time, the proportion of parents of children with disabilities and children with disabilities who are fully aware of the rights of children with disabilities is very low. Many children with disabilities even do not know about their rights. Local officials, including government, education, health care officials, and sponsor groups for people with disabilities donot fully understand the relevant legal documents.

Therefore, it is necessary to raise awareness of officials at local levels, families and communities, to remove barriers and create conditions for people with disabilities to exercise their rights.

Mr. Dang Van Thanh said that it is necessary to prioritize communication on disability issues in rural areas by direct or indirect means on a large scale; strengthen communication on legal documents related to the rights of people with disabilities, information on support services, support models from national to local levels; enhance the image of people with disabilities in the media in a way that is based on the rights of people with disabilities and positive equality.

Many people with disabilities have access to social security, health, education and employment support services.

According to Thanh, communication channels should ensure access to all types of disabilities; all national television channels must have sign language interpretation and Vietnamese subtitles will be available; and issues of people with disabilities must be included in all awareness raising programs.

From these facts, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoi, Director of the Department of Social Protection of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, called on the community to accompany people with disabilities, to do better things for people with disabilities so that the rules on rights of people with disabilities are better realized in life.

“We will continue to have more voices, more contributions, initiatives, and appropriate solutions to promote supportive activities for people with disabilities in Vietnam in line with the UN Convention on People with Disabilities,” said Director Nguyen Van Hoi. 

Hai Anh