UNIT 20 Disability

Summit calls for extra help to the disabled

The China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF) has resolved to strengthen co-operation with international organizations to improve the livelihood of disabled people and help them become more active community participants.

During a three-day World Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Summit on Disability which concluded recently in Beijing, CDPF Chairman Deng Pufang called for more effective measures for the disabled.

The participants issued a Beijing Declaration expressing particular concern for women and girls with disabilities "who remain the most invisible and marginalized of all disadvantaged social groups."

The declaration emphasized that the exclusion of disabled people from mainstream society is a violation of fundamental rights.

The participants vowed to help disabled people facing deprivation, hardship and poverty by providing them with education, training, remunerative work, and promoting their participation in decision-making processes.

They also called for the elimination of discriminatory attitudes and practices, as well as legal and infrastructure barriers for disabled people.

China has more than 10 million disabled people, including 3 million who have serious disabilities that prevent them from working.

The State drafted extensive poverty eradication pro-grammes for disabled people in 1998. It has allocated 500 million yuan (US$60 million) annually to support the projects, CDPF sources said.

The Beijing summit attracted leaders from the Disabled People's International, Inclusion International, Rehabilitation International, the World Blind Union, the World Federation of the Deaf and representatives from other non-governmental organizations for the disabled.

江苏省靖江高级中学