The government yesterday pledged continuous efforts to help the
country's 60 million-plus disabled people share equal development
opportunities with their able-bodied counterparts and achieve
greater personal wealth.
Disabled people are still one of the most vulnerable groups in
the country, with thousands unemployed and poverty rates worse than
the national average, said Chairman of the China Disabled
Persons' Federation (CDPF) Deng Pufang yesterday, at the
opening of the fourth congress of the federation.
President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and Venus Ilagan,
chairperson of Disabled Peoples' International, also attended the
opening session.
Vice-Premier Huang Ju delivered a speech at the meeting,
promising that the government will give more support to disabled
people.
Deng told the meeting that the government will devote the first
two decades of this century to improving the basic conditions of
disabled people and protect their basic rights.
In one sentence, the development of disabled people should
parallel that of others in China, he said.
Deng also disclosed yesterday that the country is working on the
Provisions for the Protection of the Employment of Disabled
Persons.
Moreover, the federation will step up its efforts for the
occupational training of more disabled people.
Thanks to the help from the government and the persistent
efforts of the disabled people themselves, as many as 84 per cent
of the country's disabled population were employed by the end of
the year 2002.
For the first time in the nation's history, the central labour
authority awarded the honour of Technical Expert, the highest
honour China awards to its outstanding labourers, to 23 disabled
persons last month.
In addition to helping capable disabled people to stand on their
own, Deng promised social security and healthcare for all "jobless
and poverty-stricken" disabled persons in the near future.
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent a message
marking the congress, praising China's efforts in assisting its
disabled population.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and
the Pacific also sent a message to congratulate the congress, in
which it places the Chinese Government among the strongest
supporters in the working out of an international convention to
protect and promote the rights and dignity of people with
disabilities.
(China Daily September 9, 2003)