Hanoi (VNA) – The ASEAN Disability Forum (ADF) washeld virtually on December 18 with a focus on protecting social security for personswith disabilities (PWDs) during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking from Hanoi, Nguyen Van Hoi,Director of the Social Assistance Department at Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour,Invalids and Social Affairs, said ASEAN has a population of more than 625million, including about 100 million PWDs.

Member countries have always paid attention to issuesrelated to the disabled, but PWDs in not only Vietnam but also other ASEANcountries still face numerous difficulties, especially in accessing healthcare,education, vocational training, employment, and credit, he noted.

Hoi described 2020 as a special year when the COVID-19 pandemichas posed unprecedented challenges to healthcare and social security, requiringgovernments to take action to realise the twin targets of containing theoutbreak and boosting socio-economic development, particularly for vulnerablegroups of which PWDs, women, and children are more susceptible.

The official also shared some of Vietnam’s experiences andprogrammes in supporting PWDs in the post-pandemic period, as well as certain shortcomingsthat need cooperation between the State and people to handle.

Agreeing about COVID-19 impacts on vulnerable groups,including the disabled, President of the Vietnam Union of PWDs AssociationsDang Huynh Mai said to help PWDs weather difficulties, the union has workedwith its member organisations, ministries, and sectors to carry out manyactivities such as boosting communications to raise PWDs’ awareness of the coronavirus,providing essential goods to those in need, and encouraging donations.

She also expressed her hope that experiences shared at theforum would help minimise the pandemic’s impacts and effectively implement the “ASEANEnabling Masterplan 2025: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”for the sake of a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community.

At the event, participants looked into ways to ensure PWDs’response during and after the pandemic via the implementation of the ASEANEnabling Masterplan 2025. They also discussed social security measures andessential public services with specialised groups./.