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Nation to create more jobs for disabled
By Liu Li and Wu Chong (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-05-16 05:21
China's 25 million disabled 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 disabled 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
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, Hui 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 incon-veniences, the old idea of relying on society's
assistance rather than tapping their own potential has prevented some from
getting jobs," said Jin.
Although fluent in English, 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.
Early this year, Premier Wen Jiabao said in his government work report
delivered on March 5 at the opening of the parliament's annual session: "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.
He said the Chinese Government was working hard to help the coun-try's
handicapped population achieve a goal of "equality, participation and sharing"
and enjoy as affluent a life as others.
Legal assistance
Over the past year, more than 600 of Beijing's disabled citizens have
received legal assistance.
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 that hit her refused to pay 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 gets by on Chen's father's monthly salary of 2,000
yuan (US$240) 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.
After negotiation, the company agreed 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.
(China Daily 05/16/2005 page2)
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