Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)Speaking at a Hanoi conference on the role and contributions of PwDs in the implementation of SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDG), Tamesis noted that 2022 marked the 30th anniversary of the International Day of PwDs (December 3) and the eighth year sinceVietnam joined the Convention on the Rights of PwDs.
She lauded Vietnam’s big strides in promoting therights and social integrations of PwDs, citing data from the latest countryreport submitted to the UN Committee for Rights of PwDs as showing that in thepast decade, Vietnam exerted great efforts to increase the accessibility forpeople with disabilities.
Many buildings and public transport vehicles have becomemore friendly to PwDs, she noted.
However, she held that Vietnam has still faced manydifficulties in ensuring the rights of PwDs, as 17.8% of those people are living inpoor families, while many schools, especially in the rural areas, arecountering a lack of teachers specialising in caring for children with specialneeds, and many companies have yet to equipped themselves with theinfrastructure and technologies that enable them to employ PwDs.
The employment of PwDs should not be considered as charity,nor as a privilege, but as a guarantee of the right to work which benefitseveryone, she stated.
This year, the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(UNPRPD) project has played an important role in changing the attitude andimproving capacity for policy influencers and service providers, whileproviding legal and policy through consultations, and raising communityawareness about inclusion and equality for PwDs, she said.
Meanwhile, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Naomi Kitahara underlined that youngpeople with disabilities should enjoy sexual and reproductive health rights and body autonomy, and a life free from discrimination or violence. The UN inVietnam is committed to supporting people with disabilities towards accessibilityand equality in the country and the whole world, she said.
Conference participants highly valued the active andresilient participation and important contributions of PwD community in thedevelopment of their country and the globe./.
VNA
