Draft law makes life easier for disabled

BEIJING, Feb. 27 -- The physically challenged will find it much easier to venture out or communicate with others if a draft amendment calling for an obstacle-free society is passed.

The draft amendment to the Law on Protection of the Disabled, submitted to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee for first reading yesterday, makes it mandatory for all new constructions to follow national obstacle-free standards.

It says old constructions, too, should be upgraded gradually to meet the standards.

The standards, introduced in 2001, give detailed requirements for building obstacle-free facilities, but they are not yet part of any law.

The draft amendment has the following stipulations:

Public transports should become barrier-free gradually;

If possible, public parking lots should have special spaces for the disabled;

Public service organizations should offer the physically challenged vocal and visual help;

TV and radio channels should have special programs for the disabled, and movies and TV series must carry captions;

Governments at all levels should support the publication of braille or audio books.

According to China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), the country has about 83 million disabled people, that is, 6.34 percent of the total population.

"And a national survey shows 49.8 percent of the disabled above the age of 18 have medium-level or serious obstacles in social participation," the federation said in a document submitted to the lawmakers. That's why "it's still an arduous task to make society obstacle-free".

Civil Affairs Minister Li Xueju yesterday conceded that the existing Law on Protection of the Disabled, which was implemented in 1991, had to be updated.

That's why "the amendment has been drafted to tackle new situations and problems," he told the lawmakers. "It's also aimed at better protecting the rights and interests of the disabled."

Apart from building an obstacle-free society, the draft amendment also ensures that the disabled enjoy the rights to play a fair role in society and share the fruits of the country's economic growth.

For example, it says the voice of the physically challenged must be heard when laws, regulations and policies on them are made.

Also, the draft makes it mandatory for governments at all levels to offer the disabled better education, rehabilitation and living standards, and provide them more jobs.

According to CDPF figures, the per capita income in households with a physically challenged member is less than half the national average. And about 43 percent of the disabled people above the age of 15 are illiterate, well above the national average of 6.27 percent.

(Source: China Daily)