Page 9 - Mainstreamer e-Magazine Volume 1, Issue 3 - August 2023

GROUND TO COVER

For public transport activities, one of the supplemented, thereby promoting the profound
areas is relatively clearly regulated by the Law on and comprehensive integration of PWDs into
Persons with Disabilities 2010. However, since the economic, political, social, and cultural life.
law on PWDs and the government’s Decree No. In return, PWDs will become an important
28/2012 was issued came into force, bus routes force contributing to social construction and
also do not meet the accessibility needs of most development rather than being a burden on the
customers with disabilities. Most bus routes have community. With a strategic vision, frankness,
been equipped with speaker systems to announce and dedication, the country’s policymakers will
stops and other necessary information to make make appropriate suggestions and adjustments
bus travel more convenient. However, the drivers so that law on PWDs in the future will be a lever
actively adjust the sound of the notification to create momentum for Vietnamese PWDs to
system at a very low level, even turning off that make substantial breakthroughs, contribute to
notification feature. This action causes many consolidating and building a humane, progressive,
difficulties for passengers, especially those who and modern image of the nation in the eyes of
are visually impaired. Should this be considered a international friends. Besides, this also affirms
kind of violation? Currently, except for the electric that Vietnam is always a responsible member of
bus lines that have just been put into operation international conventions and organisations.
and have various options to support PWDs,
including wheelchair users, most persons with The author is a specialist in special education. With five
years of working experience in inclusive education, she
physical disabilities feel marginalised from public has supported many children with disabilities as well as
transport services due to poor supportive facilities teachers directly involved in inclusive education activities.
and solutions to improve accessibility. Existing Thu has a great passion in creating intuitive materials for
children with disabilities particularly those affected with
buses are mostly high-floor, multistep vehicles and autism spectrum disorder. She is highly interested in issue
do not have enough devices to assist wheelchair surrounding policies on disabilities as well as ways to
promote the right of persons with disabilities to strengthen
passengers; therefore, more flexible adjustments and deepen the integration of PWDs in the society.
are needed to make this sector accessible
for all. In addition, the Law on Persons with
Disabilities also sets out a precise roadmap so that
construction works such as offices of agencies and
organisations must fully meet accessible criteria
for PWDs. However, since the Law on Persons with
Disabilities was promulgated 10 years ago, there
has been little progress in ensuring accessibility for
PWDs in the construction sector. Even many new
construction projects still have not paid attention
to this factor. For example, the elevator does
not have Braille on the control keys or an audio
announcement for assisting the visually impaired
users; the ramps for wheelchair users are too
steep; there is no sign language to support the
deaf community. Awareness towards access audits
is still very limited, so many accessibility criteria
are ignored, which indirectly contributes to PWDs’
rights not being guaranteed.
In conclusion, the sanctioning mechanism
is unclear, the responsibility regulations are
vague, and PWDs have not been empowered to
assess accessibility, which affirms that the law
on persons PWDs needs to be amended and

Vol. 01, Issue 3 | August 2023 8