Laos has confirmed that it will continue to promote and protect the rights of children, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Member countries of ASEAN are cooperating in the area of social welfare and development, addressing social risks faced by children, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities, officials have confirmed.
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Dr Khampheng Saysompheng spoke recently at the 9th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development and Its Related Meetings in Jakarta, Indonesia on promoting and protecting the rights of children, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities in Laos.
He said the ministry is protecting women and children, the elderly and people with disabilities as part of the 8th National socio-economic development plan according to Lao government policy.
The Lao government has been working hard on promoting and protecting the rights of children and women, caring for elderly, and assisting persons with disabilities through the development of legislation and policies including the Law on the Protection of Rights of Women and Children, Dr Khampheng noted.
In the area of persons with disability, the government together with relevant institutions, stakeholders and development partners have conducted various outreach activities aiming at providing services to persons with disability including the introduction of integrated education, availability of schools for the blind and schools for the deaf and mute, he added.
In addition, the availability of vocational training centres for persons with disabilities and other educational support is improving their opportunities.
Dr Khampheng explained that these strategies include capacity building in human resources, documentation of standards and benchmarks for quality services, and partnerships and inter- sectoral ,collaboration including rights protections for children, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities in Laos.
Dr Khampheng noted that the meeting discussed children, individuals with disabilities, senior citizens, families with problems, poor individuals as well as victims of disasters, seeking to enable target groups to enjoy their rights as citizens and achieve the highest possible level of welfare.
The meeting also approved the 2016-2020 action plans for rapid development in fields which target a satisfactory standard of living for the Asean Community to live prosperously.
The ASEAN community is working continually to foster cooperation in social development aimed at raising the standards of living of disadvantaged groups and the rural population, and seeking the active involvement of all sectors of society, in particular women, youth, and local communities.
Source: Vientiane Times
