Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen made the remark at the Asia Pacific Disability Forum (APDF) which is underway in Hanoi on November 27-28.
Vietnam has been actively implementing the strategy reached at the first APDF in Incheon, the Republic of Korea, in 2012 as well as finalising the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Chuyen said.
With two plenary sessions, the forum creates a platform for disable people to share a range of topics from policy building, social welfare, and vocational training to societal integration and climate change impact.
A number of margin activities are organised such as a photo exhibition, a gala dinner and a walking tour of Hanoi in response to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3).
According to the United Nations, around 15 percent of the world’s population or 1 billion people live with disabilities.
Vietnam has more than 6.7 million people with disabilities, who constitute 8.7 percent of the population.-VNA
