Vietnam has over 1.2 million disabled children, including those affectedby the aftermaths of war, especially toxic chemicals, bombs, mines andexplosive remnants. It poses a great challenge to the country inensuring their rights and helping them integrate into society.
According to the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs(MOLISA), disabled children account for 86 percent of all the childrenwho need special care in the country.
Children with disabilities face various difficulties, such as poor access to education and health care services.
Discrimination is another challenge. They have fewer opportunities togo to school due to discrimination and the limited skills of educationalmanagers and teachers.
According to the 2009Vietnam Population and Housing Census , only 66.5 percent of primaryschool-age children with disabilities go to school, compared to 97percent among normal peers. The rate of literacy among people withdisabilities in the 15-24 age group was only 69.1 percent, much lowerthan the rate of 97.1 percent among normal people.
Vietnam is also short of trained social officials as well ascommunity-based support services for disabled children.
In a bid to better care for and protection of children withdisabilities, the country has exerted efforts to put in place a legalframework.
Vietnam signed the UNConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007 andis expected to ratify the convention early next year.
In June2010, the country passed its own Law on Persons with Disabilities ,which reflects Vietnam’s legal progress in protecting the rights ofdisabled children in line with the UN Convention on the Rights ofPersons with Disabilities .
The law also enables disabledchildren to access social welfare, comprehensive education and healthcare services, as well as improves the quality of childcare centreswhile encouraging home- and community-based childcare.
Vietnam ’s Government also pledges to offer educational servicesto children with disabilities, making efforts to improve theirrehabilitation as well as helping them integrate into society.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has provided essentialassistance for Vietnam to devise laws and suitable policies forchildren, especially those with disabilities, over the past years.
Since 2008, the two sides have established a comprehensive programmefocusing on bettering policies and legal frameworks to aid children withdisabilities.
The programme, which operates at bothnational and provincial levels, also looks to raise relevant sides’awareness of the rights and needs of disabled children to meet theirspecific demands.
In terms of legal aid, the fundhas helped the country devise the law and sub-law documents relating topeople with disabilities, as well as in preparations to ratify the UNConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by 2014.
Meanwhile, education campaigns under the programme helped enhanceofficials and activists’ knowledge and skills to better ensure disabledchildren’s rights and meet their needs.
UNICEF alsoassisted Vietnam in building provincial-level action plans and acomprehensive framework to direct domestic and foreign partners in thefield.
In addition, the programme helped set up amodel of comprehensive child care integrating health and educationservices designed specially to facilitate disabled children’s communityintegration.
Recently, UNICEF has coordinated withthe Association of Agent Orange/dioxin Victims in central city of DaNang to set up a daycare centre for disabled children in Hoa Vangdistrict. The model will be multiplied in other areas nationwide.
A support centre for integrated education has also been established inDa Nang with UNICEF’s technical and financial aid, in implementing thecountry’s commitment to help disabled children access generaleducation.-VNA
According to the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs(MOLISA), disabled children account for 86 percent of all the childrenwho need special care in the country.
Children with disabilities face various difficulties, such as poor access to education and health care services.
Discrimination is another challenge. They have fewer opportunities togo to school due to discrimination and the limited skills of educationalmanagers and teachers.
According to the 2009Vietnam Population and Housing Census , only 66.5 percent of primaryschool-age children with disabilities go to school, compared to 97percent among normal peers. The rate of literacy among people withdisabilities in the 15-24 age group was only 69.1 percent, much lowerthan the rate of 97.1 percent among normal people.
Vietnam is also short of trained social officials as well ascommunity-based support services for disabled children.
In a bid to better care for and protection of children withdisabilities, the country has exerted efforts to put in place a legalframework.
Vietnam signed the UNConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007 andis expected to ratify the convention early next year.
In June2010, the country passed its own Law on Persons with Disabilities ,which reflects Vietnam’s legal progress in protecting the rights ofdisabled children in line with the UN Convention on the Rights ofPersons with Disabilities .
The law also enables disabledchildren to access social welfare, comprehensive education and healthcare services, as well as improves the quality of childcare centreswhile encouraging home- and community-based childcare.
Vietnam ’s Government also pledges to offer educational servicesto children with disabilities, making efforts to improve theirrehabilitation as well as helping them integrate into society.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has provided essentialassistance for Vietnam to devise laws and suitable policies forchildren, especially those with disabilities, over the past years.
Since 2008, the two sides have established a comprehensive programmefocusing on bettering policies and legal frameworks to aid children withdisabilities.
The programme, which operates at bothnational and provincial levels, also looks to raise relevant sides’awareness of the rights and needs of disabled children to meet theirspecific demands.
In terms of legal aid, the fundhas helped the country devise the law and sub-law documents relating topeople with disabilities, as well as in preparations to ratify the UNConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by 2014.
Meanwhile, education campaigns under the programme helped enhanceofficials and activists’ knowledge and skills to better ensure disabledchildren’s rights and meet their needs.
UNICEF alsoassisted Vietnam in building provincial-level action plans and acomprehensive framework to direct domestic and foreign partners in thefield.
In addition, the programme helped set up amodel of comprehensive child care integrating health and educationservices designed specially to facilitate disabled children’s communityintegration.
Recently, UNICEF has coordinated withthe Association of Agent Orange/dioxin Victims in central city of DaNang to set up a daycare centre for disabled children in Hoa Vangdistrict. The model will be multiplied in other areas nationwide.
A support centre for integrated education has also been established inDa Nang with UNICEF’s technical and financial aid, in implementing thecountry’s commitment to help disabled children access generaleducation.-VNA
