Research About Disabled Facilities Between China And America

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Research about Disabled Facilities between China and America
Introduction
There are hundreds of millions of people living with disabilities in rural and urban centers globally. It is estimated that by 2050, this number will rise to 940 million or about 15% of the total 6.25 billion urban dwellers with disabilities (Salman). Disabled people not only live in cities, but also in rural areas. The UN declaration points that poor accessibility can present serious challenges for the disabled both in urban and rural settings. For this reason, many countries around the world have made efforts to provide accessibility facilities for the disabled. Using existing data, this paper compares the popularity of disabled facilities in China and America in an effort to identify the insufficiencies in China in this aspect.
Unlike the United States and other developed countries, there is a lack of sufficient community support services for the disabled (World Health Organization and The World Bank 140). The culture in China does not much considering about the welfare of the disabled, especially those in wheelchairs (Ballardie) With automobile speeding and poor traffic rules, steep staircases, and faulty or missing escalators, disabled people find it hard to cope in China (Ballardie). A 2007 national study showed that 40% of disabled people needing help and services did not find assistance (41). The traditional use of the term “gong neng zhang ai zhe” to mean “individuals with disabilities” is not frequently used. This might be attributed to referring disability as “canfei” to mean “handicap” and “useless” in Chinese culture (Liu). In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) demands that every business and facility provide appropriate accommodation and access for the disabled. The law applies to all businesses open to the members of the public notwithstanding the size of the business (civilrights.findlaw.com). The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in settings ranging from workplace, homes, education, and public accommodation.