Annual Report: Raising Voices, Creating Opportunities

The project aims to improve disability healthcare and physical access policies implementation through developing policies that ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities and building local capacity to advocate for local policy implementation. The project focuses on three key interventions: developing policies, building local capacity, and strengthening local advocacy for disabilities policies. In the area of policy development, the project has supported the Ministry of Health (MOH) in developing a Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, as well as a Transition House Model procedure. The project has also contributed to the development of a Universal Design (UD) strategy and national standards for transportation to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities. In terms of building local capacity, the project has improved the capacity of 90 healthcare officers on disabilities equity and social work, 90 officials of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Department of Constructions (DOC) on knowledge and skills on physical accessibility, and 20 leaders of Organization of Persons with Disabilities (OPD) trained on gender-based violence's Training of Trainers (TOT) and about 780 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) on GBV. The project has also piloted three additional Transition House models in three targeted provinces. The project has achieved significant results, including providing direct assistance to 3173 persons with disabilities, strengthening 11 USG-assistance organizations and/or service delivery systems who serve people with disabilities, and drafting, revising, and/or issuing 1 Vietnamese Government's law, policy, or procedure to support the inclusion of people with disabilities. The project has also trained 240 people in mitigating gender-based violence (DPO leaders and PWDs) and 3 DPOs/PAs participate in monitoring and evaluations of the local program for persons with disabilities. The project has been implemented in Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, and Quang Tri provinces, as well as at the national level. The project has worked closely with local partners, including Provincial Departments of Construction, Transportation, and Health, OPDs, self-help groups, and other disability advocacy groups. The project has also received support from the Transport Development Strategy Institute (TDSI) and rehabilitation specialists. The project has faced challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and consecutive typhoons that forced the project to redesign its activities. However, the project has been able to adapt and continue its implementation, achieving significant results and making a positive impact on the lives of persons with disabilities in Vietnam. The project's achievements have been recognized by local governments, who have praised the project's efforts in improving physical access and healthcare for persons with disabilities. The project's results have also been presented to the Ministry of Health, which continues to work on the final version of the revised Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, incorporating the project's recommendations on disability-related issues. Overall, the Raising Voices, Creating Opportunities project has made significant contributions to improving disability healthcare and physical access policies implementation in Vietnam, and its achievements will have a lasting impact on the lives of persons with disabilities in the country.