Hanoi's disabled population has reached 120,000 although just 10,000 of them have a job.

In response to the alarming statistics, the Hanoi Disabled People Association launched a new centre to help the disabled integrate into society, on June 28 in Hanoi.

The centre's main tasks include finding jobs for the disabled and contributing suggestions and recommendations to policies relating to people with disabilities, said deputy head of the association Duong Thi Van.

In April, the centre began piloting a 12-month-long project on approaches for job promotion centres working with disabled people, she said.

If the pilot project is successful, the model will be expanded nationwide.

Statistics from the city's Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs show that of Vietnam's eight million people living with disabilities, only 30 percent are employed in stable jobs.

"Supporting jobs for the disabled goes hand in hand with developing social security," said Tran Van Tu from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour.

In June, the National Assembly approved the law on disabled people, a piece of legislation intended to raise public awareness of issues affecting disabled people, said Nguyen Xuan Lap from the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs./.