LDWDC-Promotion of Disability-LA_507702 Strengthen Organization People with Disabilities (OPDs) and the Disability movement to effectively advocate for the inclusion of people with disabilities across all impairment groups at national level and in Attapeu Province, Sekong Province, Xiangkhouang Province and Vientiane capital.
The government of the Lao PDR has adhered to a number of international treaties: it has ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2009 and acceded to the Convention on the Rights of theChild (CRC) in 1991.
Whilst the government of the Lao PDR ratified the CRDP in 2009 and issued the Decree on the Rights of People with Disabilities in 2014, neither carries the force of law and the Lao PDR is yet to become a fully inclusive society.
The2015 Population and Housing Census has largely underestimated the number of people with disabilities in the country. It has identified around 160,881 persons withdisabilities or 2.8% of the population in stark contrast with estimates provided by WHO intheir World Disability Report indicating that people with disabilities represent 15% of the world population.
There is very little information on people with disabilities from minority ethnic groups living in remote areas and given the level of poverty andlack of quality basic services these groups are faced with, people with disabilities are among the most deprived.
Since 2015, The National Committee for Disabled People and the Elderly (NCDE), under the MOLSW, is leading the development of two main documents: The National Policy for Persons with Disabilities andthe National Strategy and Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities. NCDE is working closely with line ministries, OPDs, INGOs and coordinate several consultation meetings. The 2 documents are finalized and have been submitted to the Ministry.
In parallel, NCDE drafted a Disability Law that was reviewed by the National Assembly in December 2018. However, the government of Laos has not yet enacted this law.
In spite of this legal and strategicframework promoting disability inclusion (the Decree on the rights of persons with disabilities, the Disability law, national policy, strategy and action plan), the reality of the legal context of disability in Lao PDR does not guarantee the rights to health, education, employment, leisure activities, communication and information as well as mobility, for persons with disabilities. These problems include:
• The fact that the ratified Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2009) is not implemented effectively. This limits the obligations of Lao PDR to uphold the rights of persons with disabilities.
• The lack of recognition of the special needs of persons with disabilities and the general lack of knowledge of disability issues from political and administrative authorities.
• The non-systematic application of the Lao legal framework that includes the Decree on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which sets out, “protects and promotes the rights of people with disabilities, in areas that affect their everyday lives: access to healthcare, inclusive education, vocational training and employment and specify entitlements to lower or zero fees to use these services” (2014).