The seminar, co-organised by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), highlighted the role of trade unions in promoting, and monitoring the implementation of laws and policies on people with disabilities.

Participants emphasised the need to raise public awareness and increase community responsibility for the disabled and to complete a new draft law that specially addresses employment for the disabled.

They agreed that due attention should be given to providing skills training to the disabled to help them get jobs. Local authorities should implement regulations and policies that encourage businesses to create jobs for the disabled.

According to the Labour Code, businesses must employ enough disabled workers to comprise 2-3 percent of their total labour force.

Currently, Vietnam has more than 5.4 million people with disabilities, accounting for 6.34 percent of the total population. Most of them are unemployed or receive a small income from making handicraft products.

A recent report by the Social Support Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs indicated that nearly 36 percent of the disabled are illiterate and 25 percent do not have a job. About 65-70 percent of the disabled are supported by their families or social allowances. Thirty percent of them are living below the poverty line.