Van Kham Tran

PhD Student,

School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy

APPROACHES TO UNDERSTANDING

THE CONCEPT OF DISABILITY IN

VIETNAM

This paper aims at

Looking at the general understanding on disabilities:

By looking at research on disability based on individual and social model of disability

By analysing social policy and legal documents

By regarding Vietnam traditional view

Overview of PWD in Vietnam

Estimates that approximately 6.34% of the population, or 5.3 million Vietnamese or 7.93% of households, have disabilities.

87.27% PWD live in rural areasIlliteracy rates among PWD are estimated

to be as high as 36% compared to national rates that are below 10%.

(MOLISA 2006)

Overview of PWD in Vietnam

Prominent types of disabilities: Physical and mental

20% of PWD have multi-disabilitiesReasons for being disabilities:

congenital (35.8%), disease (32.34%), war consequences (25.56%), accidents(3.49%) and others (2.81%)(MOLISA 2006)

LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL MODELS OF DISABILITY

Disability Research

Disability study/research has not been a prominent area in Vietnam now.

Research mainly focuses on inclusive education in voice of teachers and other non-disabled people, functional rehabilitations or looking disabilities in economic and social development as well as human rights.

Approaches to understanding disabilities definition in Vietnam from cultural and moral value as well as individual and social model. (JICA 2002, Le Bach Duong 2007)

Individual model- Disability has been equal with defected minds and bodies- PWD are dependent on families, friends and social assistance and need living in segregated in specialised institutions and agents (Draker 1998; Barnes & Mercer 2002).- Judgements based on medical conditions of people by identifying the physical, sensory and mental impairments and these people are unable to satisfy social roles and responsibilities (Darlington, Miller & Gwynne 1981) - Disability defines PWD living dependently with able-bodied people and it is defined as a personal tragedy (Oliver, Michael 1983; Oliver, M & Sapey 1999)

Individual model (cont)

- Due to sick and weakness conditions, disability is also regarded as social deviance. In order to reach to some degree of “normality”, individual with disability is required to be rehabilitated- PWD is linked up to ascribed than achieved rule breaking- PWD follows all organisations and staff requirements and by which lead them to live more dependently(Barnes & Mercer 2002: 4)

Individual model (cont)

WHO’s definition in 1970s: impairment is referred to body and mental deficiency and disorder disability was used as the impact of impairment on daily life and the handicap is regarded to the social disadvantages appeared by disability

(Draker 1998:10)

Social model A change away in which the physical to social limitations of a PWD.Disability is not caused by impairment but results from the social restrictions imposed on people with impairment (Thomas 2007:57)Ask society to remove disabilities placed on individuals with impairment through engaging active struggles.

Social model (cont)WHO’s definition in 1980:Impairment: Any loss or abnormality of

psychological and physiological or anatomical structure or function…

Disability: Any restriction or lack (resulting from impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being…(WHO 1980:29)

Social model (cont)

WHO’s revised definition in 1999Functioning, activity and participation are

influenced by many environment factors materially and socially (Barnes & Mercer 2002:14-15)

Defining more relationships to life experiences of PWD in terms of social and cultural factors rather only physical one

FROM CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL VALUES

By cultural and traditional valuesPeople look disability as the result of bad

deeds or sins committed by one ancestors which is origin from the concept of reincarnation holding that life is not linear continuum from the birth to death but cyclical

Who is committed to be evil in social activities will not only be punished by reincarnated but also their descendants will also be suffer disability as similar consequences (Hunt 2002).

By cultural and traditional valuesThe key words on talking to PWD: bad

temper, low self-esteem, feeling of inferiority, feeling sorry for themselves, isolated, not smart, crazy, failure, crippled, unhappy or unfortunate. Only positive keyword mentioning to “normal”(MOLISA 2004, pp.135-136).

The name of people with disabilities has been called with the epithets in a disparaging ways as thằng mù (blind person), thằng què (limping person), con điên (lunatic person), đồ dở hơi (crack-brained person)

ANALYSING LEGAL DOCUMENTS

International legal milestones on disability

1945: UN establishment

1948: Universal Declaration of human rights

1990: The World Declaration on Education for All

1993: The UN Standard rules on the equalisation of opportunities for PWD

2000: Millennium Development Goals

2001: EFA flagship on the Right to Education for PWD: Towards inclusion

2006: UN Disability Convention

UN perspectives on:

rehabilitation (1945-1954),

social welfare perspective (1955-1970)

human rights : During 1970s,

the world action and social participation, social inclusion: after 1980s (UN 2008)

Vietnam legal milestones on disability

1945: The first Vietnamese Constitution1986: Vietnam change economic policy1992: The amendment of National Constitution1998: The Ordinance for disabled people2001: Establishment of National Coordinating Council on Disability2006: Ratified the UN Disability Convention2007: Draft of Law on PWD

Expected to be approved by the end of 2009

How disability is socially constructed in Vietnam legal documents?Vietnam has not approved the specific law on

disability, PWDThere are fruitful legal documents on disability

and PWDDisability has been stated in Vietnam

Constitution, regarding education for all under State and society supports.

The Ordinance on PWD in 1998 clarifies rights of PWD in areas of health, education, employment, and social participation

Draft of Law on PWD emphases the disability based on WHO revised definition.

Priority for war invalid soldiers and victims

MOLISA concerned with the issue of war invalids by the term of "invalidity percentage of work capacity“ to classify disabled people for its scheme of providing social allowances.

only visible physical disabilities were examined and evaluated according to the invalidity percentage of working capability

Children with disabilities, intellectually disabled persons, and those under or above the working age were not examined or evaluated, as they were often excluded from the list for social allowances (JICA 2002, p.8).

In labour and working perspective: PWD are those who are unable in working due to health conditions

In health and disease perspective: PWD are those who have impairments, and have body dysfunctions

In social policy perspective: PWD are those who are impaired, lack of self-caring capacity, they live on other family members, community and society assistances.

How to call disability?

The terms of calling people with disability by the name of impairments’ types (such as blind, limping or deaf person) are used widely in general speaking; or impaired person or disabled person in professional and social policy documents.

The name of “tàn tật” – “disabled people” or “impaired people” was used in national highest legal document (the Ordinance of disabled people; the self-help groups, organisations and associations by impaired people)

Associations for PWD are called with the name of disability (blind, deaf or dumb associations)

General understanding of disability in Vietnam

Disability is used on classifying PWD those who have lack of one or more body functions in terms of physiology or mentality due to congenital, diseases, accidents, or war consequences.

PWD have limitations on working, difficulties in daily life, education and community participation caused by health conditions

Using the word of disability instead of being impaired and being disabled, which reflects the social awareness on disability, social position of PWD in society and social contributions

Disability has been socially constructed in legal documents and social policies in Vietnam based on international legal documents. It is viewed in specific perspective.

Social awareness on disability is still limited in practice. Which is affected by cultural values, policy priority and lack of comprehensive research.

Research on disability areas focus more on inclusive education, rehabilitation, economic contribution by PWD

References Barnes, C & Mercer, G 2002, Disability, Blackwell Publisher Ltd., Oxford. Draker, RF 1998, Understanding disability policies, MacMillan Press Ltd, London. German Development Service 2004, Vietnam Guidelines: For Working With People With

Disabilities, viewed 24 December 2008, <http://www.ded.de/cipp/ded/lib/all/lob/return_download,ticket,g_u_e_s_t/bid,502/check_table,it_chap_downl_embed/~/vnm_Leitlinien_GH_Behindarb03_engl.pdf>.

Hunt, PC 2002, An Introduction to Vietnamese Culture for Rehabilitation Service Providers in the U.S., The Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange, New York, viewed 12 March 2009, <http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/monographs/vietnam.pdf>.

JICA 2002, Country profile on disability: Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Japan International Cooperation Agency Hanoi.

Le Bach Duong, Khuat Thu Hong & Nguyen Duc Vinh 2008, People with disabilities in Vietnam: Findings from a social survey at Thai Binh, Quang Nam, Da Nang and Dong Nai, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi.

MOLISA 2004, Situational analysis on children with disabilities in Vietnam/Phân tích tình hình trẻ em khuyết tật ở Việt Nam, Labour and Social Publishing House, Hanoi.

The United Nations 2008, History of disability and the United Nations, viewed 10 June 2008, <http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/history.htm>.

The United States Agency for International Development 2005, Vietnam disability situation assessment and program review viewed 20 December 2008, <http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PDACF476.pdf>.

World Health Organisation 2001, International classification of functioning, disability and health, World Health Organisation, Geneva, viewed 19 May 2009, <http://www.handicapincifre.it/documenti/ICF_18.pdf>.