Vietnam has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, showing the country’s strong commitment to protecting the rights of disabled people, said Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen.

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Vietnam has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, showing the country’s strong commitment to protecting the rights of disabled people, said Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen. Minister Chuyen made the statement at a ceremony held in Hanoi on Wednesday to mark the International Day for Persons with Disabilities as well as the country’s ratification of the Convention, according to the Vietnam News Agency.  The ministry will soon submit a plan on the implementation of the Convention to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for approval, the minister said. Chuyen also asked individuals and organizations in Vietnam and abroad to make efforts in implementing the Convention to contribute to protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the disabled.

Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam called on the community to give a helping hand and protect the legitimate rights of the disabled. He also stressed that persons with disabilities have their own value that we should respect.

Mission Director of the US Agency for International Development Joakim Parker congratulated Vietnam on the ratification, affirming that the United States is willing to support Vietnam’s efforts to promote and protect the interests of disabled people.

Currently Vietnam has about 7 million people with disabilities, making up around 7.8 percent of the country’s total population.

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