Vietnam ensures rights of persons with disabilities

The promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities has been high on Vietnam’s agenda, said Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN).

“We have put in place legal, regulatory and policy frameworks to this end,” she affirmed at the 8^th Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that opened on June 9 in New York.

Job training for persons with disabilities in Binh Duong. (Photo for illustration)

The diplomat highlighted the National Project to Support Persons with Disabilities for the period of 2012-2020, which sets specific targets including healthcare, education, employment, accessibility to public services, legal services, cultural and sport activities.

Vietnam is also working to improve disability data and statistics, and address the vulnerabilities of people with disabilities, especially in disaster-related conditions, she added.

“One important philosophy guiding our efforts is the recognition that people may have disabilities, but they are not disabled”, she said, adding that “What is important therefore is how to enable them, by providing access to education, vocational training and employment, to credit and business opportunities”.

This is a sustainable way of support for people with disabilities to ensure their full and equal participation and help them escape poverty, Nga affirmed.

She also expressed her thanks to the UN agencies, development partners and organisations and individuals for their support extended to people with disabilities in Vietnam.

The conference, which saw the participation of more than 600 delegates from member countries to the Convention, and relevant organisations, will run until June 11.

The conference agenda includes round table talks about poverty reduction and hunger eradication, and inequality; improving disability data and statistics; facilitating access to education for women and children with disabilities; and addressing the vulnerabilities of people with disabilities, especially in disaster-related conditions.