UN official underlines ensuring full and equal engagement of PwDs
VOV.VN - In order to carry out commitments of not leaving anyone behind, it is necessary to ensure both full and equal engagement of persons with disabilities (PwD) in all social areas, stated Pauline Tamesis, resident coordinator of the UN in Vietnam, on December 2.
Speaking at a Hanoi conference held to discuss the role and contributions of PwDs in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Tamesis noted that this year marked the 30th anniversary of the International Day of PwDs on December 3, as well as the eighth year since Vietnam joined the Convention on the Rights of PwDs.
She hailed major Vietnamese accomplishments in promoting the rights and social integrations of PwDs, citing data from the latest country report submitted to the UN Committee for Rights of PwDs. This indicates that over the past decade the country has exerted great efforts to increase the accessibility for people with disabilities.
Many buildings and public transport vehicles have also become more friendly to PwDs, she noted.
However, she assessed that the nation still faces many difficulties in ensuring the rights of PwDs, particularly as 17.8% of those people are living in poor families, while many schools, especially in rural areas, are countering a lack of teachers specialising in caring for children with special needs. In addition, many companies have yet to equip themselves with the correct infrastructure and technologies that enable them to employ PwDs.
The employment of PwDs should therefore not be considered as charity, nor as a privilege, but as a guarantee of the right to work which benefits everyone, she stated.
This year, the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) project played an important role in changing the attitude and improving capacity for policy influencers and service providers. Simultaneously, it provided legal and policy through consultations, thereby raising community awareness about inclusion and equality for PwDs, she said.
Furthermore, Naomi Kitahara, representative of UNFPA in Vietnam, underlined that young people with disabilities should enjoy sexual and reproductive health rights and body autonomy, as well as a life free from discrimination or violence. The UN in Vietnam is fully committed to supporting people with disabilities towards accessibility and equality in the country and the entire world, she said.
Participants took time to applaud the active and resilient participation and important contributions of the PwD community in the development of their country and the globe.