Yesterday, a report made by the UN Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) acknowledged progress
in China regarding disabled people's rights, despite many
outstanding problems.
"Together with the central government, China Disabled
Person's Federation (CDPF) has made remarkable improvements in
the quality of life of persons with disabilities," according to the
report, and the employment rate of disabled people has reached 84
percent in urban areas.
It was discussed at a workshop co-hosted by UNESCAP and Chengdu
Disabled People's Federation in Chengdu, the capital of the
southwestern province of Sichuan,
which opened on August 16 and ended on Thursday.
It also said laws to protect the rights of the country's 60
million disabled people have been enacted and relief allowances and
preferential loans established.
Although achievements have been made, there is still a long way to
go to provide more pragmatic and compassionate services, said Lu
Shiming, vice president of the CDPF, the country's largest
non-governmental disable people's organization.
"There is unbalanced development between regions and not all
disabled people can enjoy the favorable policies of the
government," said Lu. "We are planning to build, within five years,
a network comprising all grassroots organizations for disabled
people."
Venus Ilagan, chairwoman of Disabled Persons International, said
she is expecting the fulfillment of the plan and believes that
China will play a pioneering role in this field.
Founded in 1988, CDPF provides services at central, provincial,
city, county and township levels.
In urban areas, nearly 100,000 associations have been set up in
communities and companies, promoting the legal rights of the
disabled people, providing services including health, education,
employment, poverty-alleviation and legal aid.
Lu said CDPF has also made attempts to establish disabled-oriented
organizations in 37 counties last year for disabled people in rural
areas to receive equal treatment.
(CRI August 19, 2005)