Assisting persons with disabilities has long been one of the top priorities for the U.S. Government in Vietnam. Since 1989, with the establishment of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Leahy War Victims Fund (LWVF), USAID is working to increase the availability of and access to a wide variety of programs benefiting people with disabilities in conflict-affected countries.
In Vietnam, U. S. assistance has helped address medical needs and support the inclusion of Vietnamese with disabilities into all aspects of society. The U.S. Government has contributed more than $80 million in assistance to persons with disabilities, has improved the lives of more than 30,000 persons with disabilities, and has strengthened the Government of Vietnam’s capacity to provide high quality services to those in need. USAID has provided rehabilitation services for tens of thousands of persons with disabilities, education and vocational training including information technology, job placement, supporting parent associations to expand the advocacy for disability issues, and support for the development of legal codes to improve physical accessibility for persons with disabilities in public buildings. Our work supporting persons with disabilities is also viewed by many as contributing to successful U.S.-Vietnam cooperation to overcome the painful past shared by the two countries.
Program activities work in three areas: policy advocacy and coordination, direct assistance including occupational and physical therapy and providing assistive devices, and health systems strengthening to provide quality disabilities-related care and treatment. Persons with disabilities have been more readily integrated into society by improving their access to health, education and social services. USAID programs support local governments in implementing the national disability law and the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and influencing public policies that affect the lives of persons with disabilities.
- USAID’s Disability Programs 2015-2020
- Key Policy Milestones
- Key Service Delivery Achievements in Inclusive Education (2005-2015)
USAID’s Disability Programs 2015-2020
USAID continues its support to persons with disabilities in Vietnam through six projects that were awarded in 2015. The projects aim to support the implementation of disability laws and regulations, strengthening rehabilitation service systems and providing direct assistance to persons, particularly those with significant disabilities. USAID also supports the development of local Disabled Persons Organizations and their advocacy.
- Protecting the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Project (2015-2018)
- Accessibility for Inclusion Project (2015-2017)
- Moving without Limits (2015-2020)
- Advancing Medical Care and Rehabilitation Education (2015-2020)
- Disabilities Integration of Services and Therapies Network for Capacity and Treatment (2015-2019)
- Disabilities Rights Enforcement, Coordination and Therapies (2015-2020)
Key fiscal year 2016 achievements include:
- 3,100: Persons with Disabilities received direct assistance (rehabilitation service, assistive devices, legal assistance)
- 1,068: Free legal counselling sessions provided to persons with disabilities
- 2,679: Service providers improved skills and knowledge in rehabilitation, special education, disability screening, legal aid and disability policies
- 67: Government of Vietnam agencies and institutions received technical assistance in implementing local Action Plan on Disabilities and the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- 2: New Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) established
- 39: Disability leaders trained
- 18: Local DPOs participated in policy dialogues at national and sub-national levels
- 2: Airlines revised policies to address the needs of passengers with disabilities
- 15%: Vietnam Airlines reduces airfare by 15 percent for passengers with disabilities
- 2001: Establishment of National Coordination Committee on Disabilities
- 2002: Passage of Barrier Free Codes and Standards for Public Constructions
- 2006: Passage of Barrier Free Codes and Standards for Public Transportation
- 2006: Issuance of First National Action Plan on Disabilities (NAP) for 2006-2010
- 2007: Passage of Barrier Free Codes and Standards for Information, Communication and Technologies
- 2007: Formation of the Blue Ribbon Employer Council (BREC), which is comprised of international and national employers whose objective is to promote employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
- 2007: Revision of Vocational Law to include an disability article
- 2010: Enactment of Vietnam Disability Law
- 2011: Issuance of Second National Action Plan on Disabilities (NAP) for 2011-2020
- 2012: Formation of Vietnam Federation for Disabilities (Vietnam DPO)
- 2012: Revision of Labor Code to include a disability article
- 2013: Passage of the Penalty Decree for Vietnam Disability Law
- 2014: Ratification of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- 2015: Formation of National Committee on Disabilities
- 2016: Revision of Health Insurance policy, increasing the coverage of rehabilitation service by 7.5-fold (650%).
- 2016: Five additional airports made physically accessible with technical assistance from USAID
- 2016: Vietnam's Prime Minister approved the plan for implementing the International Convention on the Rights of Disabilities, which was developed with technical assistance from USAID.
- 2017: Launch of the first Bachelor's program in Occupational Therapies
- 2017: Ministry of Health's adoption and rolling out of the Disability Information System
Key Service Delivery Achievements in Inclusive Education (2005-2015)
- 1,450 young Vietnamese with disabilities trained in advanced IT skills, soft skills and job search skills; over 60% of students trained in advanced IT skills were able to get jobs.
- Over 5,400 children with disabilities benefited from project’s inclusive education assistance.
- 882 education managers, secondary education teachers and staff from 5 provinces, Association of Blind people, Deaf Associations and Rehabilitation Centers were trained on distance learning. More than 100 e-learning sessions for students of grade 6 have been developed and piloted with 341 students, and 40 online video lectures for deaf students at grade 5 have been produced using sign language. As a result, Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training has used Asian Development Bank funding to replicate the project's developed distance learning tools for teachers of special needs from all 63 provinces.
- The project-supported website (www.giaoduchoanhap.edu.vn) has had over 76,000 hits to date, mostly from educational institutions and centers participating in the ICT pilot and other educational experts in field.
- The online library contains more than 100 materials including teacher training materials, publications on teaching children with certain type of disabilities, management of inclusive education
- 3,469 teachers and administrators trained in inclusive education;
- 76% school-aged children with disabilities in Inclusion of Vietnamese with Disabilities project areas are going to school;
- 1,769 parents of children with disabilities were organized into 40 parent associations;
- 1,222 parents and teachers trained to provide community-based services for children with disabilities and their parents.
See our Project List | See our Project Map
KEY GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM PARTNERS
- VTC10 interviews USAID Mission Director Joakim Parker about USAID's disabilities assistance in Vietnam
- Vietnam National Television Reports on USAID-Supported IT Training Program for People with Disabilities
Meet some of the persons with disabilities that have benefited from our programs:
- Persons With Disabilities in Vietnam Gain Greater Mobility
- Vietnamese With Disabilities Gain Professional Skills, Jobs
- No Child Left Behind: Vietnam Strengthens Special Needs Education
- Vietnam Opens Doors for Persons with Disabilities
- Training Puts Rural Girl with Disabilities on Path to Becoming an IT Professional
- New School Brings Hope to Disadvantaged
- Finding Encouragement, Being Included
- Realizing A Dream In “Me”
View some of our projects in action:
- Alumni of IT Training Program for Person with Disabilities gather to share experience
- U.S. Congressional delegation attends a wheelchairs and hearing aids distribution event in Danang
- USAID commemorates International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2013 in Danang
- USAID supports persons with disabilities
- USAID provides equipment and services to persons with disabilities in Danang
- IT Training Program at Dong A University
- Opening of Rehabilitation Department for Children at Danang Women's and Children's Hospital and Wheelchair Distribution in Danang
- IT Certificate Award Ceremony for students with disabilities at Van Lang University
- USAID-supported IT training for persons with disabilities expanded to Danang
- Launch of program for employment for persons with disabilities
- 2001: Establishment of National Coordination Committee on Disabilities
- 2002: Passage of Barrier Free Codes and Standards for Public Constructions
- 2006: Passage of Barrier Free Codes and Standards for Public Transportation
- 2006: Issuance of First National Action Plan on Disabilities (NAP) for 2006-2010
- 2007: Passage of Barrier Free Codes and Standards for Information, Communication and Technologies
- 2007: Formation of the Blue Ribbon Employer Council (BREC), which is comprised of international and national employers whose objective is to promote employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
- 2007: Revision of Vocational Law to include an disability article
- 2010: Enactment of Vietnam Disability Law
- 2011: Issuance of Second National Action Plan on Disabilities (NAP) for 2011-2020
- 2012: Formation of Vietnam Federation for Disabilities (Vietnam DPO)
- 2012: Revision of Labor Code to include a disability article
- 2013: Passage of the Penalty Decree for Vietnam Disability Law
- 2014: Ratification of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- 2015: Formation of National Committee on Disabilities
Key Service Delivery Achievements in Inclusive Education (2005-2015)
- 1,450 young Vietnamese with disabilities trained in advanced IT skills, soft skills, and job search skills; over 60% of students trained in advanced IT skills were able to get jobs.
- Over 5,400 children with disabilities benefited from project’s inclusive education assistance.
- 882 education managers, secondary education teachers and staff from 5 provinces, Association of Blind people, Deaf Associations and Rehabilitation Centers were trained on distance learning.
- The project-supported website (www.giaoduchoanhap.edu.vn) has had over 171,000 hits to date, mostly from educational institutions and centers participating in the ICT pilot and other educational experts in field.
- The online library contains more than one hundred materials including teacher training materials, publications on teaching children with certain type of disabilities, management of inclusive education
- 3,469 teachers and administrators trained in inclusive education;
- 76% school-aged children with disabilities in Inclusion of Vietnamese with Disabilities project areas are going to school;
- 1,769 parents of children with disabilities were organized into 40 parent associations;
- 1,222 parents and teachers trained to provide community-based services for children with disabilities and their parents.
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