BEIJING: China has introduced a sweeping policy framework to prevent tens of millions of people with disabilities in rural communities from slipping back into poverty, shifting from emergency relief to long-term, normalized support in the countryside.
The directive, jointly issued by 20 government departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, is one of the country’s most comprehensive disability policy packages in recent years.
It comes as the world’s second-largest economy marks the fifth anniversary of eradicating extreme poverty on the Chinese mainland and seeks to consolidate those gains.
“Efforts must be made to ensure that no large-scale relapse into poverty occurs among disabled people,” the document said, describing disabled people as important contributors to China’s modernization while also acknowledging they are a special group in need of extraordinary care and attention.
At the core of the policy is a shift from time-limited poverty alleviation to permanent support. Local governments are directed to provide a broader range of assistance for disabled people in rural areas, including stronger social security and education programs to meet basic needs, alongside what officials describe as “development-oriented assistance” — skills training, employment opportunities and income-generating support designed to foster self-reliance. The directive also calls for expanded rehabilitation, nursing care, accessibility improvements and cultural services, while strengthening legal assistance to safeguard the rights of people with disabilities.
Nearly 80 percent of China’s estimated 85 million registered people with disabilities live in rural areas, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Although many rose above the poverty line through targeted poverty alleviation programs over the past decade, they remain especially vulnerable to falling back into poverty.
In Yongshou county, Shaanxi province, local officials have seen this vulnerability firsthand.
Geng Qiuwa, 54, has a physical disability, while his wife has an intellectual disability. The couple grows wheat on a small plot that provides enough food for themselves but little additional income.
After village officials identified the family as needing assistance, they began receiving a monthly government subsidy of 1,350 yuan (about $200). Geng also earns 600 yuan a month working as the village’s water manager, a public welfare position.
“We identified him through household visits, verified his situation and reported it to the township level,” said Chen E, a village official in Yongshou.
Geng’s family typifies households with multiple disabled members, where limited labor capacity and few income sources heighten the risk of returning to poverty.
The new directive calls for assistance tailored to individual circumstances. Those unable to work will receive social assistance to meet their basic living needs. Those with some working capacity will be encouraged to improve their livelihoods through small businesses, cooperatives and other income-generating opportunities. Local Party organizations and officials are expected to play a leading role in providing targeted support in healthcare, employment, business development and mobility. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
