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Regional Workshop on Monitoring the Implementation of the
Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free
and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the
Pacific (BMF) |
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Materials : Country/Review PaperCOUNTRY PAPER : CHINARegional Workshop - Monitoring the Implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Right-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific 13-15 October 2004, Bangkok, Thailand Prepared by China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF) 1. Review of achievement and shortcomings in the implementation of the BMF at the inception of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012) in ChinaThere are 60 million people with disabilities in China. Chinese government has always attached great importance to the human right protection of people with disabilities. The undertaking for people with disabilities has achieved great progress since the implementation of UN Decade for People with Disabilities and Asia- Pacific Decade for People with Disabilities. Chinese government has enacted and implemented the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the protection of Disabled Persons and Regulations on the Education of People with Disabilities. Coordinating Committees on Disabilities have been established at the State and each level of government, the work for PWDs has been incorporated into the national economic and social development plan. These activities have, through reduction and elimination of social barriers, contributed a great deal to the realization of equal right for PWDs in political, economic, cultural, social and family life, particularly to their right to subsistence and development. Since the declaration of BMF, China has translated and distributed related documents and has taken an active part in its implementation. Following are the priority areas in its work: 1.1.Establish federations of PWDs at each level in China and consolidate the position and the role of associations of different disabilities. Disabled people’s associations are also set up at community levels, with the leaders of the associations elected through democratic election. PWDs and disabled workers are involved in decision-making process at each level of National People’s Congresses and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conferences. Opinions from PWDs are solicited when legislations formulated to guarantee that no provision in the legislation has content that discriminate the PWDs, and special requests of PWDs are considered. 1.2.The rights of women with disabilities are further protected. In line with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, China has taken measures to protect the rights of women with disabilities in every area. Taking women with disabilities as an important task group, All China Women’s Federation has, through projects like “ Spring Buds” and “Caring the Mothers”, improved the education of girls in poor families and living conditions of disabled mothers. 1.3 China has integrated the compulsory education of disabled children into the national compulsory education plan for unified implementation. The government has strengthened it’s input to reduce and exempt the children in poor family from their tuition, which promoted the integrated education and special education for disabled children. In order to reduce and control the incidence of disability, China has also spread the mode of rehabilitation services and training that rely on family and on the basis of community. 1.4 Our country has, in accordance with the ILO C159 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention 1983, formulated special policies to promote employment of PWDs. Measures such as employment guidance, vocational training and employment consultation have been carried out nation-wide to implement Quota Scheme according to law. Preferential policies have been formulated to support welfare factories and self-employment and self organized employment of disabled jobseekers. 1.5 The administrative departments responsible for construction of the State Council formulated design code on the accessibility of urban roads and buildings. Accessible roads and buildings have been widely constructed in Airports and considerations have been taken in the design of new public transportation facilities such as railways, subways and roads. Beijing is now taking the opportunity to hold the 2008 Olympic Game to strengthen its efforts in renovating the old public transportation systems to make them accessible. 1.6 Departments concerned have in the past years formulated policies regarding caption in movie and TV programs to make them accessible to people with hearing impairments and remarkable progress has been made in this regard. Institutions of higher learning as well as research institutions have also developed special software to help PWD’s get access to Internet. Access to Information and Communication by PWDs is rising steadily. 1.7 Poverty alleviation for PWDs has been integrated into the governmental poverty programs and projects for united arrangements and simultaneous implementation. Measures such as giving out certain amount of interest-paid micro-credits to PWDs, special poverty-alleviation programs, Minimum Living Guarantee System for Urban Residents have been implemented. As a result, the number of disabled people in poverty has been greatly reduced year by year. Shortcomings:
2. Our views on Implementation of BMF in China for the rest of the Decade, especially with regard to:
Chinese government also responded positively by giving more attention and support to the undertakings of PWDs. From 2003, RMB 200 million funds were to be supplemented in the annual year budget to support PWDs in the area of education, rehabilitation, housing and sports activities. Ministry of Civil Affairs also gathered RMB 600 million for the rehabilitation of disabled orphans. In October this year, a Working Meeting on Poverty Alleviation for PWDs will be convened by the State Council to formulate more measures to support PWDs to get rid of poverty. All these will provide great impetus to poverty alliviation efforts for PWDs in China. China has also engaged in formulation and revision of legislations for PWDs. In order to better protect the rights and interests of women including women with disabilites, it is planned the review of the Revision of the Law on the Protection of Right and Interest of Women be carried out by National People’s Congress in 2005. In addition the draft on Regulation of Employment of PWDs, which has been under revision for many times, is expected to be adopted in 2005. The State Council has also approved the decision to conduct the Second National Sampling Survey on PWDs in 2006 in order to to provide basic data for formulation and revision of legislations concerning PWDs. As one of the important initiative to implement BMF, Chinese government and disabled persons’ organisations launched the work to revise the Law on the PRC on the Protection of Dsiabled Persons in 2004, which is scheduled to be finished within 5 years. The revision of the Law will give full consideration to the findings of the national sampling survey, absorbe the advanced concepts of the International Convention on the Rights of PWDs. The revised Law will be one that is in line with related international instruments on human rights and that combine the actual conditions of PWDs in China. Measures against discrimination of PWDs will be strengthened, government obligations will be stipulated, the operation of the coordiation of the work for PWDs will be improved, and the supervision and role of the disabled persons’ organisations will be defined. This law will contribute to the further protection of political, economic, cultural, and civil rights of PWDs and help to creat an inclusive, barrier free and right-based society for PWDs in China. |
