Conference seeks to give disabled people better access to social services

 

Hanoi (VNA) – A conference discussing the building of applications to give the disabled community better access to social services was held in Hanoi on April 17 on the occasion of Vietnam’s Day for People with Disabilities (April 18).

Jointly organised by the Vietnam Federation on Disability and the Hanoi Disabled People’s Association, the event saw the participation of over 200 delegates from ministries and sectors as well as representatives from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, domestic and foreign non-governmental organisations, and those working in disability support groups.

During the event, participants focused on discussing how to help people with disabilities gain better access to transport services, infrastructure facilities, and information and technology.

The organisers also launched a campaign and contest themed “Go with D.Map”, which aims to spread the message of "Don't leave anyone behind".

D.Map is an application for smart phones built based on iOS and Android platforms, with a web version as well, which looks to be a useful information channel for people with disabilities.

Through this application, disabled people can search for information related to infrastructure facilities such as parks, offices, and restaurants that have better accessibility and inclusive features. The information is especially important for disabled and elderly communities looking to travel to new places.

According to permanent vice chairman of the Vietnam Federation on Disability Dang Van Thanh, Vietnam has about 8 million people with disabilities, accounting for 7.8 percent of the total population, with 82 percent of them living in rural areas.

In recent years, the Party and State have paid due attention to taking care of disabled people through many policies and regulations to ensure safety and provide much needed access for them to use public transport services. –VNA