Noting December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Premier Jiang Yi-huah at today's Cabinet meeting instructed the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and other agencies to build on Taiwan's legal protections for people with disabilities by conscientiously eliminating systemic and environmental obstacles they face.
Officials should build on the regulatory foundation laid by the amended version of the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act promulgated in 2007, the premier said.
The aforementioned act has the spirit of the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and it also established new systems for disability assessments as well as evaluations of disabled people's needs so they can receive the services they require, Jiang remarked.
The premier expressed his gratitude to the nation's legislators for long showing a great deal of concern for the circumstances, challenges, rights and interests of the disabled and encouraged all Cabinet ministers to approach this issue as if their friends, their family members, or they themselves were disabled.
"Put yourselves in the shoes of handicapped people to think about their difficulties, obstacles and needs; then actively assist them through various policies," he said.
"That the disabled should enjoy equal treatment and protection is a universally recognized value. I expect the members of this Cabinet to fight for improvement in four major aspects: school admissions, job-hunting, medical treatment and long-term care."
The premier also spoke about a white paper on safeguarding the rights and interests of the physically and mentally handicapped which the Executive Yuan passed in 2009.
"This was a major declaration of the government's comprehensive efforts to protect the rights and interests of disabled people and encourage their participation in society," he said. "Everyone must work together to implement these policies, especially those for assistive devices and health care development. This will not only broaden the ranges of handicapped people's lifestyles but also allow them to better develop employability."
Finally, the premier asked the MOHW, Ministry of Economic Affairs and National Science Council to work together with the private sector to benefit the welfare of disabled persons by actively promoting relevant industries and their product research and development.