Taking an Inclusive Approach

By+Yu+Nan

Best known as a writer and translator， Zhang Haidi added another feather to her cap by becoming the head of Rehabilitation International （RI）， a global organization and network that empowers persons with disabilities and provides sustainable solutions toward achieving a more inclusive society for them.

Zhang， who had been serving as chairwoman of the China Disabled Persons Federation （CDPF）， assumed this new role in late October.

“Our responsibility is to help as many disabled people as possible gain access to rehabilitation， education and employment - thus to equally integrate into society and live a life of dignity，” she said at the appointment ceremony.

Zhang assuming this new leadership role is another proof of the international communitys full acknowledgement of Chinas achievements in promoting the welfare of people living with disabilities.

Inclusive agenda

In fact， it is not the first time Chinas efforts in this regard have been celebrated on the international stage. For Wei Mengxin， Director of Department of International Liaison with CDPF， the day of September 27， 2015 was a historical moment. It marked the issuance by the UN of a unique stamp sheet dedicated to Chinas population with disabilities.

CDPF， along with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs （DESA） and the UN Postal Administration （UNPA）， produced the stamp sheet.

“This event shows that Chinas achievements in advocating for the rights of the disabled have long been recognized，” he said.

Just two days before the unveiling of the UN stamp sheet in New York， the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development， which was endorsed at the UN Sustainable Development Summit， vowed to leave no one behind， including the worlds 1 billion people with disabilities.

According to Wei， five out of the 17 goals on the 2030 Agenda concerned people with disabilities， which stressed the importance of inclusive education and greater employment levels so as to ensure economic and social equality and an inclusive barrier-free environment.

“Issuing the stamp sheet highlights the importance of ensuring the full inclusion of the disabled into all aspects of society，” said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. He said he hoped for stronger collaboration among governments， the UN， the private sector， people with disabilities and their organizations in order to “further advance inclusive and sustainable societies and development for all.”

In order to feature Chinese elements， UNPA invited Chinese artists to work on the design of the stamps. “It is a great honor to cooperate with CDPA and UN DESA to jointly issue the disability-themed stamp souvenir sheet，” said UNPA Chief David Failor.

Chinas first lady， Peng Liyuan， and Yoo Soon-taek， wife of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon， unveiled the custom-designed stamp sheet honoring people with disabilities， which showcases the great emphasis both China and the UN have placed on the welfare of this group of people.

Failor said he felt deeply encouraged by the presence of the two important ladies. “This sends a very important message that it is the responsibility of the international community to boost the support for the well-being of people with disabilities， and to make sure every person with disability is cared for and respected， helping them to live full lives.”

Global efforts

In recent years， according to Wei， China has played an active role on the international stage in the protection of the rights and interests of people with disabilities. The Chinese Government actively participated in the UN Decade of Disabled Persons from 1983-92， it supported and implemented the World Program of Action Concerning Disabled Persons， and engaged in the formulation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.

Wei added that China also played a key role in the drafting and negotiation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities （CRPD）. As one of the first signatories， China has taken a series of measures to effectively implement the convention. China has also advocated and participated in three Asia-Pacific Decades of Persons with Disabilities.

Chinas effort to promote and protect the rights of people with disabilities has won widespread praise. CDPF is the recipient of many honors， including the special awards for the UN Decade of Disabled Persons and Asia-Pacific Decades of Persons with Disabilities， as well as being named the UN Messenger of Peace. In 2003， Deng Pufang， then Chairman of CDPF， was awarded the UN Prize in the Field of Human Rights that year. He is both the first person with a disability and the first Chinese to receive such an award.

China has been and continues to be at the forefront of global efforts to promote inclusive development for people with disabilities， according to Wei. To ensure people with disabilities can enjoy equal access and inclusive development in society， APEC members launched a joint initiative during the 2014 APEC Economic Leaders Meeting held in Beijing.

“It is the first time that the APEC meeting has discussed disability issues，” said Zhang， adding that it shows to the world Chinas commitment to improving the lives of this group of people.

Since 2014， issues related to people with disabilities have been an integral part of a series of cooperation frameworks， including APEC， Asia-Europe Meeting， and China-ASEAN Summit. CDPF and its counterparts in countries like the United States， Russia， Germany， the UK and Australia have established a permanent dialogue mechanism on disability issues.

Government assistance

While making positive contributions to putting the CRPD into practice， the Chinese Government and Chinese society have achieved significant progress in helping people with disabilities.

China has formulated and implemented six fiveyear development plans for the welfare of people with disabilities and is now accelerating the well-off process for them during its 13th Five-Year Plan （2016-20）. The third National Human Rights Action Plan was published this year， which follows the two previous plans covering the 2009-10 and 2012-15 periods， highlighting measures to protect the lawful rights and interests of the people with disabilities.

By 2015， China had established a living benefits system for financially-challenged people with disabilities and nursing care allowances for people with severe disabilities. It is estimated that a total of more than 20 million people will benefit from the system.

According to Zhang， Chinas State Council has adopted a comprehensive mandate that provides guidance on improving the livelihoods of the 85 million Chinese citizens living with disabilities.

“Guaranteeing equal rights and promoting the inclusion of the disabled has become a worldwide consensus. Both developing and developed countries have accumulated experiences that can contribute to improving the development of the cause in China. So China will further advance its international cooperation efforts，” she said.

Zhang also pledged to make more effort during her four-year tenure as the head of RI to eliminate prejudice and discrimination and promote an equal， sharing and inclusive environment for people with disabilities worldwide.