Directive No. 03/2006/CT-BGTVT on Strengthening the Implementation of Policies to Assist Persons with Disabilities in the Transport Industry

DIRECTIVE

ON STRENGTHENING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES TO ASSIST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR

In implementing the Ordinance on Persons with Disabilities, the State has issued several legal documents to implement policies assisting persons with disabilities: Decree No. 55/1999/NĐ-CP dated July 10, 1999 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Ordinance on Persons with Disabilities; Decree No. 81/CP dated November 23, 1995 amended and supplemented by Decree No. 116/2004/NĐ-CP dated April 23, 2004 of the Government guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Labor Code concerning disabled workers; the Road Traffic Law also contains three articles (Articles 3, 31, and 40) regulating the participation of persons with disabilities in traffic. By document No. 3026/GTVT-KHCN dated June 18, 2004, the Ministry of Transport has implemented activities to assist persons with disabilities when participating in traffic. Units assigned basic tasks by the Ministry have effectively carried out work to build public transport environments for persons with disabilities to access and use. So far, initial results have been achieved in accessible transportation, and there has been a fundamental change in the understanding of management officials and the community.

However, the implementation process still faces many obstacles: some regulations have not yet truly been put into practice; the understanding of the community, management officials, and persons with disabilities themselves is still insufficient and inadequate.

To create conditions for persons with disabilities to integrate into society and contribute to it, on January 9, 2006, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 01/2006/CT-TTg on intensifying the implementation of policies to assist persons with disabilities in the current socio-economic development context.

Implementing the Prime Minister's Directive and to further enhance the implementation of the State's policy on persons with disabilities in the transport sector, the Minister of Transport issues the following directive:

1. Agencies and enterprises under the Ministry, Provincial Departments of Transport (Transport and Communications) shall, based on their functions and responsibilities, strengthen propaganda, dissemination, and implementation of policies to assist persons with disabilities. In the short term, organize the immediate implementation of policies and measures that can be implemented within their scope of responsibility to create conditions for persons with disabilities to integrate into society.

2. The Transport Department shall take the lead in researching and proposing regulatory and policy frameworks for public passenger transport services that consider the needs of persons with disabilities and elderly people; coordinate with the Vietnam Highway Administration to advise the Ministry on issuing regulations regarding bus routes for accessibility and guide and inspect localities during the implementation process.

3. The Bureau of Inspection and Quality Management of Transport Projects shall take the lead and coordinate with the Planning and Investment Department, Project Management Boards, and relevant agencies to manage, organize, and guide inspections on the application of construction standards TCXDVN 265 : 2002 "Roads and Sidewalks - Basic Principles for Constructing Facilities for Persons with Disabilities to Access and Use" and other related standards for new, renovated, and upgraded transport projects to facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities in traffic as stipulated in Articles 31 and 40 of the Road Traffic Law.

4. The Vietnam Highway Administration shall study and survey the current state of public passenger transport by road; proactively introduce regulatory and policy frameworks for accessible transport into effective and practical implementation; coordinate with provincial Departments of Transport (Transport and Communications) to direct passenger transport enterprises to implement pilot bus routes according to the accessible transport program for the period 2006-2007.

5. The Vietnam Railway Administration, the Vietnam Civil Aviation Administration, and the Vietnam Waterway Administration shall check and evaluate the results achieved in accessible transport work; take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies and enterprises to effectively and practically implement regulatory and policy frameworks for accessible transport within their respective jurisdictions.

6. The Vietnam Vehicle Inspection Corporation shall promptly complete draft standards for city buses and railway passenger carriages considering the needs of persons with disabilities and elderly people, submit them to the Ministry of Transport for consideration and issuance; coordinate with relevant agencies and automobile and carriage manufacturing enterprises to supervise the implementation of accessible transport standards within its jurisdiction.

7. Provincial Departments of Transport (Transport and Communications) shall, based on local conditions, report to the People's Councils of provinces and cities to organize pilot bus routes for persons with disabilities and elderly people to access and use; pay attention to applying construction standard TCXDVN 265 : 2002 "Roads and Sidewalks - Basic Principles for Constructing Facilities for Persons with Disabilities to Access and Use" at construction sites under local management.

8. The Vietnam Automobile Industry Corporation shall organize research, design, and manufacture a number of accessible buses; coordinate with the Vietnam Highway Administration, Provincial Departments of Transport (Transport and Communications), and passenger transport enterprises using automobiles to operate on pilot bus routes.

9. The Vietnam Railway Corporation shall take the lead and coordinate with the Vietnam Railway Administration and relevant agencies to initially establish mechanisms to facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities and elderly people in railway transport where possible; in the long term, plan the design and manufacture of accessible railway passenger carriages and strive to ensure that by 2010, some carriages on railway lines will meet the requirements for persons with disabilities to access and use.

10. The Cadre and Civil Servant Organization Department shall research appropriate systems and policies to guide enterprises under the Ministry in the recruitment and employment of disabled workers; prioritize policies for disabled workers; note the implementation of Decree No. 81/CP dated November 23, 1995 and Decree No. 116/2004/NĐ-CP dated April 23, 2004 of the Government guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Labor Code concerning disabled workers.

11. The Department of Science and Technology shall be the focal point; coordinate and cooperate with relevant agencies and units in organizing the implementation, promoting, disseminating, and training on access traffic; compile and report to the Ministry's leadership every six months on the results of implementation.

The Minister of Transport requests the heads of agencies and enterprises under the Ministry; the Directors of Provincial Departments of Transport (Transportation and Communications) to promptly and strictly implement the tasks mentioned above. In case of difficulties during the implementation process, they must timely report to the Ministry of Transport for research and resolution./.