4.6.2 Disability in Vietnam
According to data from MOLISA, 6.34% of the population (or 5.3 million people) are disabled (cited from the National Action Plan to Support People with Disabilities, which derives from the SEDP). The majority of these persons have an impairment affecting their mobility (29.41%). Most types of impairment derive from congenital causes (35.80%), diseases (32.34%) or war (25.56%). In future the number of war invalids is expected to decline, but impairments caused through traffic accidents or HIV/AIDS will increase.
Compared to the rest of Vietnamese society, people with disabilities still have a lower level of education, with 41.01% illiterate. As a consequence, unemployment rates are also higher (30.00%). 32.50% of households with a disabled family member live below the poverty line. A total of 87.20% of people with disabilities live in rural areas.
Governmental support for people with disabilities
As far back as the 1950s, the government had started to develop policies in favour of people with disabilities. The first constitution was published in 1959. Since then a number of decrees regarding persons with disabilities have been issued, most importantly the Ordinance on Disabled People in 1998, which will be replaced by a Law on Persons with Disabilities in 2008 or 2009. In the last few years in particular there has been increasing political support for people with disabilities. Vietnam is actively engaged in the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled People (First Decade 1993-2002, Second Decade 2003-2012). Consequently policies are now orientated towards the BIWAKO Framework (Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific). The "National Action Plan to Support People with Disabilities" (NAP) (Decision 239 from 24th October 2006) accordingly reflects the priorities of the BIWAKO framework. In November 2007 Vietnam signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Although national policies for disability exist, however, the means for implementation are very limited.
Main stakeholders
A wide range of disability stakeholders exist in Vietnam – especially in urban areas – and encompass a variety of different categories: governmental organisations, parastatal organisations (including government representatives and civil society members), and international NGOs and DPOs (including self-help-groups).
MOLISA has the political mandate to take care of people with disabilities, although other ministries such as MOET (Ministry of Education and Training) and the MOH (Ministry of Health) are also deeply involved in activities for people with disabilities.
Most important at the state level is the "National Coordination Committee on Disability in Vietnam" (NCCD). This consortium was founded in 2001, and consists of representatives from 17 ministries, two organisations for people with disabilities, and three organisations of people with disabilities. The NCCD has strong linkages to MOLISA: it is chaired by the Vice-Minister of MOLISA, while the NCCD office is also within the ministry building.
Beside these important bodies, the following INGOs have a major influence on disability affairs in Vietnam:
- VNAH (Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped), founded by an American citizen of Vietnamese origin in 1991. VNAH works closely with the NCCD and MOLISA, for example on the development and implementation of the NAP.
- The Catholic Relief Service (CRS), World Concern, Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO), Handicap International and a number of other INGOs are implementing projects to support people with disabilities all over the country. Activities range from health insurance, road safety and the provision of assistive devices, to inclusive education and community-based rehabilitation.
Disabled persons' organisations and self-help-groups:
- The Hanoi Association, an umbrella organisation of 19 organisations of people with disabilities (DPOs) in the capital. Founded at the beginning of 2006, it is relatively recently established, but has good relations with governmental structures.
- "Bright Future", another highly influential group. This comprises highly-educated people with disabilities, and was one of the first officially recognised self-help groups.
- The Disability Forum, which represents a huge number of self-help-groups, as well as comprising larger DPOs and INGOs.
- The National Blind Association, the oldest DPO in Vietnam (founded in 1969), and the only DPO with nationwide representation.
- The Association of People with Disabilities and Orphans
Beside these organisations and institutions, not-for-profit businesses that employ people with disabilities are gaining in importance, for example VABED (Vietnam Association of Business, Enterprises of people with Disabilities).
Most of these organisations can be found in Hanoi and other urban areas. In 2008 a national umbrella organisation of DPOs will be founded to address the lack of a nationwide representative body for people with disabilities.
