The cause of people with disabilities with Chinese characteristics: practice of protection of rights and interests

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. At such an important moment, the Chinese government published a white paper entitled "Equality, Participation and Sharing: 70 Years of Protecting the Rights and Interests of Persons with Disabilities in the PRC", which shows the government's attention to the cause of people with disabilities and its protection of their rights and interests.

The white paper comprehensively introduces China’s progress in the development of the cause of people with disabilities in the past 70 years, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and explains the mechanisms and policy measures for the protection of their rights and interests in China, and enhances the international community's understanding of their cause. It is of great significance to promote that cause and its development, and to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation in the affairs of people with disabilities.

The white paper shows the extraordinary development in the lives of people with disabilities in China. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the government has done a lot of work for them and laid the foundation for their support. After the reform and opening-up, a development path for that support with Chinese characteristics has been formed based on national conditions, drawing on the advanced concepts of international disability affairs, and compatible with economic and social development conditions in China. The white paper shows that the characteristically Chinese development of the cause of people with disabilities energetically protects their rights and interests.

First, the Chinese characteristics-based development of the cause of people with disabilities is accompanied by a shift in the perspective of how to view and treat people with disabilities. Establishing a correct value concept is an important prerequisite for safeguarding their rights and interests. The white paper clearly clarifies the basic attitude and fundamental position of the Party and the government on the development of the cause of people with disabilities. In its foreword the white paper emphasizes that as “people with disabilities are equal members of the human family”, it’s necessary “to respect and guarantee their human rights and personal dignity” and that persons with disabilities are “participants, contributors and beneficiaries of our social and economic development”. It is the duty of the government to enable people with disabilities to fully participate in social life with equal status and equal opportunities, and to share the achievements of material and spiritual civilization. It is important to respect the dignity of people with disabilities and to affirm their value, and to recognize the importance of their right to “equality, participation, and sharing”.

Second, the development with Chinese characteristics of the cause of people with disabilities is a process of gradual integration into the overall situation of national development. It is an indispensable part of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The white paper points out that "China adheres to the cause of people with disabilities to be incorporated into the national development strategy", which is the most fundamental way to protect their rights and interests. The white paper shows that since the "8th Five-Year Plan", the cause of people with disabilities has been included in the overall plan for national economic and social development. The "11th Five-Year Plan" first set up a special section for people with disabilities in the national economic and social development plan, and further promoted their role in national development.

Third, the development with Chinese characteristics of the cause of people with disabilities is a process of continuous improvement of the protection of their rights and interests. The second part of the white paper introduces ways of guaranteeing the rights and interests of people with disabilities, especially legalization of that protection, gradual improvement of the system of handling issues people with disabilities may have and applying a scientific decision-making model based on evidence, which together provide a fundamental guarantee for the protection of their rights and interests.

In 1990, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, which marked the beginning of the legalization of the protection in China. In 2008, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress revised the Law on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, and placed more emphasis on rights protection, clearly prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, and further clarifying the rights of people with disabilities in rehabilitation, education, culture, employment, social security, and location accessibility.

As the rule of law progressed and the cause of people with disabilities continuously developed China formed a legal system for their protection.

After the implementation of the Law on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, the State Council established the Coordinating Committee for the Work of Persons with Disabilities in 1993. In 2006, it was renamed the Committee for People with Disabilities of the State Council. The system plays an increasingly important role in promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the overall situation of national development and protection of their rights and interests. The cause of people with disabilities has placed special emphasis on the establishment of an empirical evidence-based scientific decision-making model from the beginning. In 1987, the first national sample survey of people with disabilities was carried out. After that, basic data collection and statistical mechanisms were continuously improved, providing a scientific and reliable basis for protecting their rights and interests.

Fourth, the Chinese characteristic-based development of the cause of people with disabilities also involves actively participating in international disability issues. The cause of people with disabilities in China involves the Chinese characteristic of opening up to the world and learning from advanced international concepts. On the other hand, China has also played an increasingly important and constructive role in international disability issues, striving to provide Chinese solutions. China is an active advocate and participant in the development of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It also actively promotes the inclusion of the development of people with disabilities in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and has made outstanding contributions to the development of the international disability cause.

The white paper also recognizes that there is still a large gap between the living conditions of people with disabilities in China and their expectations for a better life. There is still a long way to go to fully guarantee equal rights and interests for them. The Chinese government’s publication of this white paper will help all of society raise its awareness of the rights, potential and contributions of people with disabilities, help to eliminate the discrimination and obstacles they face, and promote the construction of their cause so as to better protect their rights and interests.

The author is Song Xinming, professor of the Institute of Population Research, Peking University.

This is a translation of an excerpt of a Chinese article.