China to Strenghen Social Security System for the Disabled

China is planning to further strengthen the social security and service system for the disabled in the next five years. A series of measures will be adopted, such as popularizing compulsory education for disabled children, increasing financial aid for impoverished disabled people and accelerating the construction of non-barrier facilities. Wu Jia has more.

China has a total of 83 million disabled people, 75 percent of whom live in rural areas. Chen Xinmin, Director of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, says insufficient opportunities for education have long been a problem that has plagued disabled children.

"At present, the compulsory education enrollment for children who are not disabled has exceeded 99 percent, but the proportion for disabled kids is only about 70 percent. Such obvious disparity comes from the kids who are intellectually or mentally disabled or the severely disabled who cannot go to school. So far, solving this problem remains the most challenging."

As such, the government is planning to adopt community education and even send teachers to the homes of the disabled children to tutor them.

China also plans to increase the allowance for impoverished disabled people not only to better their living conditions but also pay those who assist them.

So far, by way of governmental subsidies, the country has succeeded in providing 96 percent of its disabled people with endowment and medical insurance.

For the next phase, a pilot program has been started in some regions including Qingdao in Shandong Province to provide social security benefits to the disabled.

Shi Chunming, Vice Chairman of the Municipal Federation for the Disabled in Qingdao, says severely disabled people can start receiving pensions five years earlier than the lawful age at which ordinary people can receive them.

"As we know, the average lifespan of the disabled, especially the seriously disabled, is relatively short. Taking this into account, we discussed with related social security departments and put forward such a proposal."

Thanks to the Beijing Paralympic Games and Guangzhou Asian Para Games, China has made great achievements in the construction of barrier-free facilities for the disabled.

Chen Xinmin says the country is actually carrying out non-barrier construction in other fields.

"Information accessibility is also under way, such as subtitles for TV programs and computer software for the blind and the deaf. What's more, the government will invest money in remodeling the houses of the disabled for non-barrier purposes."

Chen Xinmin says all these changes and improvements actually reflect society's concern about the disabled, and that it is their right to share in the fruits of the country's development.

For CRI, I'm Wu Jia.