PSL wrote:
Vietnam implements sweeping disability rights legislationSaturday, July 10, 2010
By: Derek Ford
Vietnam implemented sweeping disability rights legislation. Ratified by the National Assembly, the law guarantees equality for people with disabilities in respect to education, work, health care, sports and entertainment, transportation and more. The law is said to benefit over seven million disabled Vietnamese people.
Under French colonialism, Vietnam was utilized primarily for agricultural production. The disabled were marginalized because they were not able to provide the same quantity of labor to the French capitalists as their able-bodied counterparts. The Vietnamese government has been working closely with the Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped organization to undo this colonial legacy.
There have been multiple legislative and institutional efforts made to promote the rights of the disabled since the early 1990’s. In 1992, the constitution guaranteed the protection of people with disabilities.
The newest legislation includes a five-year plan to provide inclusive education for children with disabilities, as opposed to the “separate but equal” logic that prevails in the United States.
VietNam News wrote:
President brings in law offering more opportunities for disabled HA NOI — The Law on People with Disabilities was promulgated yesterday, paving the way for equal opportunities for this group.
The law, that was endorsed by President Nguyen Minh Triet, sets out the rights and responsibilities of a disabled person, as well as the obligations of the State, relatives and society.
Certain disabled people will be eligible for monthly social allowances and burial costs if they die after the legal document comes into effect at the beginning of next year.
The relatives of people with severe disabilities will also receive a monthly pension, as will carers and the disabled person if they are pregnant or the parent of a child under three years old.
The State will also cover the costs of a social protection centre for homeless people with severe disabilities.
"I'm so happy and feel protected under the new law. I look forward to the moment when it comes into effect," said Nguyen Trung Quan, a Ha Noi resident who suffered a serious work accident seven years ago.
