China steps up support of the disabled
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E-mail China.org.cn, August 30, 2016
China aims to further improve the lives of disabled people by providing more customized public services and products in the next five years.
![Li Chaoyi (R), founder of a non-profit instrumental training organization for disabled children, teaches blind children Erhu, a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, May 20, 2016. The organization founded by Li Chaoyi in 2014 has over ten volunteers by now, who have been teaching more than 50 blind children on music instruments. [file photo]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/png/site1007/20160830/00016c42b416192f7ee50b.png "Li Chaoyi (R), founder of a non-profit instrumental training organization for disabled children, teaches blind children Erhu, a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, May 20, 2016. The organization founded by Li Chaoyi in 2014 has over ten volunteers by now, who have been teaching more than 50 blind children on music instruments. [file photo]") |
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Li Chaoyi (R), founder of a non-profit instrumental training organization for disabled children, teaches blind children Erhu, a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, May 20, 2016. The organization founded by Li Chaoyi in 2014 has over ten volunteers by now, who have been teaching more than 50 blind children on music instruments. [file photo] |
China's State Council, the country's cabinet, released a circular on Aug. 17 on enhancing its support and subsidies for the disabled during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020).
According to the circular, the country is aimed at insuring disabled people's basic livelihood, increasing their income, improving public services for them, and protecting their legal rights.
To achieve this goal, China plans to identify impoverished disabled people in rural areas as a key target in poverty-relief efforts and provide them with target support policies, improve support policies to help disabled people find jobs and create startups, provide basic public services in disability prevention, rehabilitation and education, and revise laws and regulations concerning the employment, education, social benefits and other aspects of disabled people's lives.
Official statistics show that China currently has at least 85 million people with disabilities. In the past few decades, the Chinese government has been continuously expanding assistance to disabled people. During the 12th Five-Year Plan period, China managed to lift 5.88 million disabled people in rural areas out of poverty, offer more basic allowances to 9.5 million and provide jobs to 4.3 million in towns and 16 million in villages.
Insure basic livelihood
In February of 2015, the State Council announced the establishment of a basic guarantee system for disabled people. Besides preferential housing policies, the government will provide them with various subsidies, basic pension and medical insurance.
In September of that year, China decided to establish a subsidy system for poor and severely disabled people, a policy benefiting 10 million disabled people in hardship and 10 million with severe disabilities.
By the end of May 2016, a total of 1.14 billion yuan (US$172 million) and 990 million yuan (US$149 million) had been allocated for disabled people living in poverty and seriously disabled people.
Increase employment
In the circular issued in February of 2015, China also aimed to help increase the income of disabled people through employment and entrepreneurship.
China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the China Disabled Persons' Federation released a joint circular, saying more efforts will be made in vocational and skills training for disabled people, and employment and entrepreneurship. According to the circular, job-hunting disabled people should at least receive one session of pre-employment training by 2020, and those engaged in skilled jobs should receive more than one training session on skills upgrading or advanced skills.
Enhance special education
In January of 2014, the teleconference on national special education was held in Beijing. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that work on special education has significant influence on guaranteeing the rights of disabled people to participate in social affairs, increase their well-being and promote social equality and justice.
Governments at all levels were urged to pay great attention to the issue, give preferential treatment to special education and carefully implement an improvement plan for special education.
Improve public services
In February of 2015, China also proposed to improve public services for disabled people, increase their education opportunities and create a barrier-free environment for them.
In June of that year, China issued a plan on a national fitness program, encouraging the disabled to get involved in fitness activities and promoting the integrated fitness development of all people. It also urged the implementation of preferential policies to promote the widespread use of physical therapy and fitness sports for disabled people.
Guarantee lives of disabled children
In June 2015, China released a guideline on reinforcing support for children in need, including medical and education support measures for disabled children.
The country increased the reimbursement rates for basic medical insurance and critical illness insurance for children who suffer from serious diseases or are severely disabled. In addition, it vowed to provide 12 years of free education for disabled children from poor families and called for establishing a rehabilitation assistance system for physically disabled children or autistic children up to 6 years old, and aims to gradually provide rehabilitation training services and free treatment for children.
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