Disability World
A bimonthly web-zine of international disability news and views, Issue no. 7 March-April 2001


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Hoøa Nhaäp (Integration)

Newsletter N.33, Dec. 2000 - Jan. 2001 (Vietnam)

DYA'S PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT(During the meeting of about 3.000 disabled people from all parts of the country to celebrate the International Day of the Disabled)

After many activities and workshops on the pressing needs of the disabled, on behalf of PWDs, the Disabled Youth Association of HCMC petition the government at all levels for 2 things:
  1. Make the voice of the disabled heard through the mass media such as the radio (AM or FM), TV and newspapers so that society can think rightly of PWDs' capabilities as well as needs.
  2. Support and facilitate the full integration of PWDs so that they can get mainstream education, free medical care, employment (supported and non-supported), access to public transportation, schools, libraries, markets, churches, etc. . .
WHY DO WE HAVE TO SOLICIT OUR VERY RIGHTS?Researches have proved that no matter how much scientists know and no matter how much sociologists are concerned, disability-related issues can be solved only when PWDs themselves and their families participate in. That's why in the world today there are almost no organizations FOR PWDs but organizations OF PWDs; Other organizations only play the supporting role and PWDs are always included in associations of science because no one can know more about situation, needs and expectations of the disabled than they do.

We can become disabled at any time by aging process, accidents, wars, natural disasters, etc .. However, disability can be rehabilitated or replaced but it is society that has always made it more serious. Disability and solutions to it reflect society's level of awareness and development.

In our country, there has been the ordinance on PWDs. Still, the distance between the papers and the reality is so far. On one side, the disabled appeal: "No pity but equality"; that is giving back the rights we have been deprived of so that we do have the same life as others and fully promote our abilities although they are limited. On the other side, society tells us: " Don't have inferiority complex any more! " while hotly denying us just because of our disabilities. Rather than creating us equal opportunities Society likes doing charity as they did in 18th -19th centuries such as food distribution, sentimentally consolatory words and then tell us not to be dependent!

Rights are what we have and put it in use whenever we want, but talks between the disabled and those who'd like to help them have still sounded like "asking and giving".

"TO PROMOTE THE SOCIAL INTEGRATION OF DISABLED PERSONS":is the theme of Campaign 2000 for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons 1993-2002 held at UN Conference Center, Bangkok, Thailand from 11-15 Dec. 2000 with the participation of 821 representatives from 29 countries, including government officials, NGOs, PWDs. There were 21 people from such VN organizations as LIMOSA, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the Society for Support of Vietnamese Handicapped and Orphans.

The conference assessed achievements, shared experience, focusing on progress relating to the fulfillment of the 107 targets of the Agenda for Action and other emerging regional issues concerning to equalization of opportunities for PWDs. Vietnam declared the Campaign 2001 in Ha Noi with the theme "To facilitate community integration of PWDs"; however VN has established neither the National Coordination Committee on Disability-related Issues nor the National Association or Federation of PWDs.

BANGKOK MILLENIUM DECLARATION ON THE PROMOTION OF THE RIGHTS OF PWDs IN THE ASIAN AND PACIFIC REGION

We, the participants:
  • Recalling Commission Resolutions 48/3, 54/1; Beijing Declaration on the rights of PWDs in the New Century adopted on 12 March 2000 by the World NGO Summit on Disability; and 107 targets, which were formulated and adopted by Regional Forum at Bangkok in November 1999, for the implementation of the Agenda for Action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002).
  • Recognizing not only active contributions of numerous PWDs organizations, disability services providers, and the Regional NGO Network (RNN) to the advancement of the Decade but also the advent, potential benefits and challenges of information technology for PWDs.
  • Appreciating the Commission's endorsement of the 107 targets; the Campaign 2000 coorganization of RNN and the National Council on Social Welfare of Thailand, ESCAP, and the Royal Thai Government.
And:
  1. Commit ourselves to promoting, and participating in, collaborative action towards the fulfillment of the 107 targets.
  2. Commit ourselves to contributing information on target fulfillment to the regional review of the achievements of the Decade.
  3. Support the establishment, by 2002, of the Asian and Pacific Center on Disability in Thailand to promote the empowerment of PWDs in the Region under the joint auspices of the Government of Japan and the Royal Thai Government.
  4. Affirm that the targets, after reviewed, revised, and further strengthened at the conclusion of the Decade in 2002, will form the Framework for Action of the Center.
  5. Urge all members of the UN system, intergovernmental bodies, governments, NGOs, private sector bodies, and the mass media, in the Region to: recognize the importance of the Center and support its operations and activities; support the development process of an international convention on the rights of PDWs; support the training PWDs as trainers and resource person for development programs; support the participation of women and girls with disabilities; develop strong inter-linked mechanisms at all levels, strengthen policy, funding and incentive schemes; etc. . .
  6. Decide to work collectively to advocate with all members of the UN system, GOs, NGOs, and so on . . .in the Region to promote multisectoral collaboration for the inclusion of PWDs in the development process and in the implementation of this Declaration.
International Day for PWDs 3-12-2000 and a week of activities: To mark the International Day for PWDs 3-12-2000, the last of the 2nd Millenium, a series of activities was held in a week from 25-11 to 2-12-2000 in HCMC with the participation of 12 provinces in the country.

This important series of activities was jointly organized by three units of HCMC: Save the Disabled Children, The Society for the Support of Vietnamese Handicapped and Orphans, Disabled Youth Association, with the financial support of Save the Children UK and other organizations such as the Suoi Tien Tourist Area, Labor Cultural Palace, and Youth Cultural House.

The participation and support of many government agencies and People's Associations in the form of newspaper reporting, TV and radio broadcasts, street banners and wall posters attracted the attention and concerns of people about PWDs.

Photo and Painting Exhibition: 39 pictures of nine young disabled photographers from Binh Chanh District were exhibited along with 80 paintings by other PWDs (mainly the deaf) from 11 PWD units. "Around us", the name of the exhibition at the Labor Cultural Palace, was very attractive and successful. Some items at the exhibition were sold.

Seminar on disabled women and marriage life: The hall was overcrowded - the subject was proved to be extremely interesting. Special rules of the seminar: personal experiences and feelings about the subject were encouraged, but neither criticism nor right/ wrong conclusions were welcomed. It was thought by many that male PWDs had more advantage and less complex than female PWDs. All speakers agreed that love and wish to have a family was essential to all, disabled or not, and any barriers were against humanity.

Workshop on "Work for PWDs": About 120 people attended this important workshop at the meeting hall of the Youth Cultural House. The present shortage of work has had bad effects on all the youth and PWDs have even suffered more. Conclusions from the Workshop were:
  • PWDs should choose jobs appropriate to their physical/ intellectual conditions; learn more and try to win over the confidence of employers.
  • Related government organizations and society should do more to put the laws on PWDS into effect.
Seminar on "Community Care for Disabled Children": This seminar was organized by the Society for the Support of Vietnamese Handicapped and Orphans of HCMC. Representatives of related GOs and NGOs in 22 districts of HCMC took part in this seminar. Among the participants were many volunteers in various villages of Binh Chanh District who had worked on the community care program for disabled children which was guided and supported by Save the Children UK. The objective of this program was to observe each child with disabilities in his location to give his parents advice on practically useful care for him. The man in charge of this program reported its achievements and suggested it should be applied in other areas.

Sports activities of youth PWDs: Nearly 100 young disabled students actively took part in badminton, table tennis, jogging, etc . . . in Tao Dan Park on 30 Nov. 2000. They all very much enjoyed this event.

Meeting at Suoi Tien Tourist Area: A big meeting for the disabled was organized at Suoi Tien Tourist Area for PWDs on 2 Dec. 2000. The original plan was for 2000 people, but on that day 3600 people from 12 different cities and provinces showed up. This number included volunteers helping PWDs and 200 teachers. High ranking government officials and many members of the press were also present. A representative of the Disabled Youth Association made a number of practical proposals to the government. Another highlight at the meeting was a musical and dance show by some famous artists and by some PWDs themselves.

ASIA-PACIFIC AREA PWDs INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILL TRAINING FOR PWDs:From 15 to 19 Nov. 2000 in Vientiane, Capital of Laos, 65 PWDs from countries in the Region attended their 7th International Conference and their 18th Training Course of Leadership Skill Training. 8 were from VN
  • The Disabled People International (DPI) was introduced carefully to the conference.
  • Objectives of PWDs in the Region with the coming decade were mentioned, including their 2003-2012 "barrier-breaking program"
  • New DPI council for the Asia-Pacific Area was elected.
PWDs AND EMPLOYMENT(Speech made by a female disabled clothes-maker during the workshop on the disabled and employment):

To PWDs, employment is an urgent need because it helps them be economically independent, show their abilities, and prove that they are not useless. However, besides ability and double-effort of their own, PWDs are in need of help from both society and the government: positive attitude, incentive schemes, supported programs, and the like so that they can keep and develop their work in the severely competitive market today.


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