USAID’s Raising Voices, Creating Opportunities project, implemented by the Action for Community Development Center (ACDC) - a local NGO, aims to improve public attitude towards PWDs and advocates for disability rights and equal access to transportation and health facilities in Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, and Quang Nam provinces. Since 2019, USAID and ACDC have been collaborating with the Ministry of Transportation’s (MOT’s) Transport Development and Strategy Institute to develop a Universal Design Criteria* to ensure physical access to public transportation for PWDs, children, and others with special needs including the aging population in Vietnam. USAID and ACDC also advocated for the rights of PWDs with hearing impairments to have access to information. As a result, on June 3, Vietnam’s Prime Minister issued a decree requesting MOT and other ministries to enforce these universal design standards for transportation accessibility. In addition, Vietnam Television, Vietnam Radio, and Vietnam News Agency have been requested to develop an annual communications plan on disability issues and increase the volume of broadcasting programs with sign language interpretation.
So What? Through close collaboration with governmental agencies and disabled persons organizations, USAID and its implementing partners are improving PWDs’ access to transportation and information, which will help them fully integrate themselves into society and become independent.
(*Universal design is the design of buildings, products, or environments to make them accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability, or other factors.)
