More mechanisms should be created to help Vietnam's 5 million disabled people

Hanoi (VNA) -- More mechanisms should be created to help Vietnam's 5 million
disabled people access job training to make sure they fully benefit from the new Law
on People with Disabilities.

Disabled people make up 6.34 percent of Vietnam's population.

The Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs has asked ministries,
organisations and individuals to make contributions to the draft decree, which is
used to fine tune the law.

Nguyen Xuan Lap, deputy director of the ministry's General Department of Social
Protection, said those drafting the decree would clarify support policies for the
disabled and enterprises that employ them.

According to the ministry, about 2.5 percent of the disabled has access to job
training classes, but only 16,000 have permanent jobs.

Dang Van Thanh, vice-chairman of the Vietnam Association of Business and
Enterprises for Persons with Disabilities, said the decree should refer to
particular support available during training courses.

He said it should also raise the monthly support for disabled apprentices, which
has remained at 540,000 VND since 2005.

Thanh said it is also necessary to create clear procedures to enable enterprises
that employ handicapped people or are owned by handicapped people to access
preferential loans and learn how to reduce tax or make themselves tax exempt.

According to Government decree ND81/CP passed in 1995, the number of disabled
employees in larger enterprise should amount to 2-3 percent of total employees. If
not, they are compelled to pay money to fund to create jobs for the disabled run
by the local Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs departments. However, at
present, the fund is accessible in only about 10 cities and provinces.

Thanh said measures are needed to speed up the establishment and operation of the
fund throughout the whole country.

"The most important thing now is enforcement of the new law," said Nguyen Thao
Van, human resources manager of the Hanoi-based Nghi Luc Song Training Centre. She
herself is also disabled.

Van said that although the State regulates support for the disabled during their
apprenticeships, most apprentices receive no support, so they and their families
have to manage by themselves.

She also recommended opening more training classes for the disabled. "The
graduation certificates, granted at secondary school, do help them access better
jobs besides the occupation certificate they earn at the centre," Van said.

Since 2008, the centre has trained about 700 disabled people about computing and
English, 30 percent of them found jobs with monthly payment of 3-4 million VND
(150-200 USD).

She said this proves the effectiveness of the centre's training model as well as
the disabled's ability to meet higher work requirements and not just be hired to
do manual work, such as handicrafts.

The draft decree consists of four chapters covering regulations on the types of
disabilities, levels of disabilities - and support in education, work and social
welfare.

The draft proposes increasing monthly support for handicapped children and elders
unable to look after themselves from 180,000 VND to 450,000 VND (10-23 USD).
Those who take care of them will be given 270,000 VND (13 USD).

The Law on People with Disabilities was approved in June and will take effect next
year. It replaces another law framed in 1998.-Enditem





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