ACDC – Imprints of 2021

1. Supporting people with disabilities (PWDs) and their families who were seriously affected during and after storms and floods in Central Vietnam

As soon as the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic subsided at the end of summer 2020, storms and floods continuously hit the provinces in Central Vietnam, causing a large number of deaths and great damage to local residents’ property. Among the affected provinces, Quang Tri Province, Thua Thien Hue Province and Quang Nam Province were the most seriously influenced. These are also where ACDC’s projects were implemented. There were around 186,000 PWDs living there (Quang Tri Province: 37,000; Thua Thien Hue Province: 30,000; Quang Nam Province: 60,000 and Quang Ngai Province: 59,000 people). Therefore, ACDC collaborated with partners, proactively collected information about PWDs in the affected areas and got ready for emergency relief.

With its mission and responsibilities, at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, ACDC provided food relief, some household items that PWDs lost after storms and floods (such as blankets, mosquito nets and kitchen utensils) and cash for nearly 3,000 families of PWDs in Thua Thien Hue Province, Quang Nam Province, Quang Tri Province and Quang Ngai Province. 400 ceramic filters were given to the neediest households. Six most disadvantaged inclusive schools where students with disabilities study in Thua Thien Hue Province, Quang Nam Province and Quang Tri Province were also supported with books, desks and chairs. The total value of support is up to nearly six billion VND.

2. Legal counseling and policy advocacy

In 2021, ACDC counseled about 1,000 PWDs/ families of PWDs in different forms. Cases that received counseling are related to many different fields, in which the most concerned was social assistance, followed by business – loans, education, social – health insurance, land, etc.

In the field of policy advocacy, ACDC also conducted research, contributed ideas and recommendations for amendments, supplements and integration of PWDs-related policies in 10 legal documents and draft legal documents in various fields, namely: PWDs; social assistance; medical examination and treatment; prevention and control of domestic violence; intellectual property; etc. 

In particular, ACDC cooperated with agencies, organizations and units to successfully advocate policies to better ensure PWDs’ interests in the field of social assistance, such as: increasing the standard of social assistance for social protection beneficiaries, fundamental changes in regulations on how to calculate monthly care allowances for families taking care of people with particularly severe disabilities; renewing the calculation of time to receive monthly social assistance for PWDs with a view to better ensuring legitimate interests of PWDs and their families; simplifying relevant administrative procedures.

3. Sponsoring Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs) to celebrate Vietnam Day of People with Disabilities 2021

Towards its 10^th anniversary, Action to Community Development Institute (ACDC) sponsored 10 DPOs to organize activities/ events in response to Vietnam Day of People with Disabilities (April 18, 2021) with the theme “Safety – Equality”. The total value of sponsorship is over 100,000,000 VND.

The events took place while the Covid-19 pandemic were still very complicated both in the world and in Vietnam. ACDC’s collaboration with DPOs during this period has a special meaning, affirming its consistency with the mission and goals that it has always pursued throughout its 10-year journey of establishment and development so that “no one is left behind”.

4. Submitting Independent Report on the Implementation of CRPD in Vietnam to the United Nations Commission on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Independent Report on the Implementation of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Vietnam was submitted to the United Nations Commission on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in April 2021. This results from a whole process of non-stop work of ACDC, Vietnam Federation on Disability (VFD) and the nationwide network of PWDs.

VFD’s Independent Report on Monitoring the Implementation of UNCRPD identifies ten (10) prioritized issues with 66 recommendations in which VFD and its member organizations believe regarding Vietnamese government’s changes in the coming years, in order to ensure necessary conditions for the inclusion and equality of PWDs in Vietnam. The report is presented in the order of 10 prioritized issues which are integrated into the groups of rights specified in UNCRPD, including: 1) General and independent living policies; 2) Discrimination against PWDs; 3) Communications regarding awareness of disability-related problems; 4) PWDs’ access to transportation, constructions, justice and communications; 5) Education and training for PWDs; 6) Medical care for PWDs; 7) Vocational training and employment for PWDs; 8) Reducing risks of disasters to PWDs; 9) Women with disabilities and rights of children with disabilities; 10) Roles of DPOs in monitoring and implementing policies related to PWDs’ rights.

5. Piloting the accessible bus route for PWDs in Quang Nam Province

On June 23, 2021, the accessible bus route for PWDs on a number of fixed routes in Quang Nam Province was accepted and put into operation. The purpose of this implementation is to enhance the quality of bus services and ensure accessibility to PWDs.

With the project’s support, Department of Transport and Quang Nam Infrastructure Investment and Development Joint Stock Company completed setting up the accessible bus route with the first 8 buses running on Tam Ky City – Chu Lai Airport Route and Tam Ky City – Dien Nam, Dien Ngoc Route. The bus route is equipped with the system of audio and screens that announce stops to assist people with such disabilities as visual and hearing impairments, as well as provide a variety of information for passengers, helping them access buses more easily, thereby improving the quality of bus services. This is the achievement of promoting the implementation of the plan to pilot the model bus route in Quang Nam Province by the “Creating Opportunities and Empowering PWDs” project (ACDC) and Transport Development and Strategy Institute (TDSI).

6. Establishing the Association of PWDs in Na Ri District, Bac Kan Province

On the morning of November 24, 2021, Na Ri District Association of PWDs – Bac Kan Province held its first Congress, 2021-2026 term. This is a turning point marking the establishment of Na Ri District Association of PWDs, which is also the first Association of PWDs with legal status in Bac Kan Province.

The Congress unanimously elected 07 members of Executive Committee, Na Ri District Association of PWDs - Term I. The establishment of the Association acts as an affirmation of the efforts of Advocacy Committee for the Establishment of Na Ri District Association of PWDs in particular and the success of the national disability movement in general, also known as a “sweet fruit” for PWDs supporting projects that ACDC has promoted locally in the 2018-2020 and 2019-2022 periods.

Ms. Lan Anh Thi Nguyen – Director of ACDC said: “In 2018, we started cooperating with Na Ri District in the “We Can” project which was jointly implemented by ChildFund and ACDC during the period of 2018-2020. This is the first milestone for the development of the District’s Association of PWDs. The project has promoted the inclusion of PWDs through the implementation of activities to raise the awareness and capacity of the community, local officials, PWDs and their families; strengthen rehabilitation and diversify PWDs’ means of livelihood.”

Since 2016, ACDC has promoted and supported the establishment of 10 DPOs, capacity building and networking for 23 provincial Associations of PWDs nationwide. The establishment of Na Ri District Association of PWDs with full legal status is a milestone to continue drawing the “map” in the common goal which ACDC has been promoting.