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Nation vows to create more jobs for disabled China's 25 million handicapped job seekers had cause for celebration yesterday on the National Day of the Disabled as Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu said the country would "redouble its efforts" in creating a better work environment for them. The theme of this year's day, which falls on the third Sunday of May every year, was: promoting employment for the disabled. Of the country's handicapped job seekers, 1 million live in urban areas with Beijing home to over half of their number, according to the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF). The employment rate of the disabled in Beijing, who are of working age and are capable of employment, is around 85 per cent. By the end of 2008, the municipal government expects this figure to rise to 87 per cent. In his remarks, the vice-premier urged local governments and all circles of society to keep improving the employment environment of the handicapped and safeguard their labour rights. "Employment is fundamental to livelihoods and an effective way and important basis for improving disabled people's life, social status and helping them participate in social and economic undertakings," he was quoted by Xinhua as saying yesterday. Although many disabled people have jobs, their general employment situation remains grave and they are facing increasing pressure and difficulty in finding a job, he said. Jin Yi, president of Beijing Runsheng Foods Co Ltd and physically impaired himself, said the disabled should make their own efforts to create better lives. "Despite the physical inconveniences, the old idea of relying on society's assistance rather than tapping their own potential has prevented some from getting jobs," said Jin. Although a fluent English speaker, Jin was turned down for tertiary education after graduating from high school. But he managed to teach himself college courses and opened his own business 10 years ago. State legislators are considering drafting a regulation on employment for the handicapped, which is expected to include the collection and use of employment insurance. In his government work report delivered on March 5 at the opening of the
parliament's annual session, Wen said: "We will show our concern for the
disabled and support programmes that benefit them."
As early as 2003, CDPF Chairman Deng Pufang said at the Fourth Congress of
the CDPF that people should not forget that there were 60 million people with
disabilities in the country, and they have over 200 million family members. The
handicapped want to enjoy an affluent life with the rest of the Chinese people,
he said, according to Xinhua.
Although people with disabilities only make up 5 per cent of the population,
one third of their number are unemployed, Deng said, adding that their living
conditions were below the average.
Deng said that the Chinese Government was working hard to help the country's
handicapped population achieve a goal of "equality, participation and sharing"
and enjoy as affluent a life as others.
Over the next 15 years, China will try to improve the lives of disabled
people, respect and protect their rights, improve their ethical and cultural
quality, make their development parallel with others, help them enjoy better
public services, and improve laws concerning the protection of the handicapped,
according to Deng.
In one of the more landmark cases, Chen Xiang, a 17-year-old girl who was
knocked down on her newspaper route in 2003 and subsequently handicapped, was
compensated by the newspaper-delivery company even though she had signed no
workplace injury insurance contract with her employer.
The driver of the vehicle who hit her refused to further medical fees after
shelling out 13,000 yuan (US$1,600) even after a local court in the city ruled
that he must. The ruling was not enforced due to the driver's poor financial
condition.
The family of four, which got by on the Chen's father's monthly salary of
2,000 yuan (US$240), were backed into a corner and had to borrow 30,000 yuan
(US$3,600) for Chen's treatment.
The father eventually turned to the Legal Assistance Centre of Beijing
Xicheng District for help in January this year.
"The only way he could help his girl in a legal way was to force the
newspaper delivery company to pay for workplace-injury insurance," Peng
Xinggang, the centre's director, said.
But since Chen had not signed anything on taking the job, this proved
difficult.
"We stepped up our efforts even though there was only a dim ray of hope,"
Peng said.
After negotiation, the company decided to compensate Chen 7,000 yuan
(US$850).
"I am grateful for the result although the money could not cover all of our
debts," Chen's father said. |
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