China to help 13 million disable people obtain rehabilitation

China will help 13 million disabled people obtain rehabilitation through the implementation of key rehabilitation programs, said a government action plan released on Monday.

The National Human Rights Action Plan of China (2012-2015) published by the State Council Information Office pledges to develop undertakings relating to the disabled, improves social security and services for them, and protects their lawful rights and interests.

To comprehensively carry out community-based rehabilitation services, the state will help 13 million disabled people obtain rehabilitation to various degrees through the implementation of key rehabilitation programs, the action plan said.

The state will supply five million pieces of supporting devices for the disabled people. It will also provide subsidies on 1.6 million occasions for community or household services for people suffering from mental disabilities and diseases, as well as for seriously disabled people, the plan said.

The state will include the disabled people in both urban and rural areas in the basic endowment insurance and basic medical insurance, according to the plan.

The state will establish a subsidy system for the financially-challenged disabled population and will subsidize nursing care for the severely disabled, it said.

The action plan pledges that the state will stabilize and expand employment for the disabled by providing employment services and vocational training for disabled people who seek employment, and make sure that an additional 800,000 disabled people will be employed by 2015.

According to the plan, China will raise the education level of the disabled and strengthen development-oriented poverty reduction programs for the disabled population in rural areas.

China will also quicken the construction and renovation of barrier-free facilities and expand the scale of publications in braille and improve a coordinating work mechanism of legal assistance to the disabled to protect their rights and interests by law, the plan said.