Macau Deaf Association (MDA) Director Nerissa Lau Sut Man underlined yesterday that the government’s Ten-Year Plan for Rehabilitation Services 2016-2025 has launched the barrier-free building design guidelines, and she suggested that the government involve various sectors of civil society concerning the construction of a barrier-free environment in the next ten-year plan.
Lau made the remarks on the sidelines of a seminar held by seven local organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to discuss the possibility of a barrier-free society in Macau, on the eve of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) today, held annually on December 3, with the participation of experts and scholars from various fields, social service co-workers, social work students and family members of service users, totalling more than 100 participants.
With the theme of amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future, this year’s IDPD aims to underscore the importance of leveraging the leadership of persons with disabilities to ensure disability-inclusive and sustainable peace and development for all, according to the press conference.
Lau also said that her association received reports from disabled people that even though they are holding Disability Assessment Registration Cards issued by the government, their documents were not recognised when applying for tax relief, and they were asked to undergo a medical check-up again.
Therefore, Lau said, she hoped that the government will review the existing regulations to see if there is any inconvenience for persons with disabilities.
According to the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS), the number of disabled people holding a valid Disability Assessment Registration Card stood at 18,500, or 2.7 percent of the population, as of September 30, of which over 5,800 were physically disabled and more than 1,200 were multi-disabled, Fuhong Society of Macau (FHS) Director Jennifer Chau Wai I said.
In the five years from 2019 to 2023, the number of people aged 65 and above increased by more than 20,000, representing an increase of 27 percent, which indicated that Macau is now facing the challenge of an ageing population, Chau said.
Chau said she believes that a barrier-free environment is not only conducive to the free mobility and self-care of people with disabilities, but also benefits senior citizens, the sick and the injured, as well as all groups of people who may face temporary or long-term mobility difficulties, which, she noted, is related to the well-being of every citizen, and enhances the overall quality of living in the city to ensure that everyone can enjoy a fair, dignified and free living environment.
Macau Deaf Association (MDA) Director Nerissa Lau Sut Man talks to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar held by seven local organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) yesterday held at the centre of Fuhong Society of Macau (FHS) in Patane. – Photo: Ginnie Liang
