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"Rehabilitation policies all point to this direction. In a sense, all such policies are geared towards empowering disabled persons to achieve this aim," Mr Strachan said.

Noting that disabled persons in Hong Kong enjoyed the same opportunity for compulsory education as their ordinary counterparts, Mr Strachan said those who could not enter the mainstream were provided special education with various levels of enhanced support.

"Education is the most effective means to empower individuals, particularly the underprivileged, for upward mobility in society.

"Education brings opportunity. Educated disabled persons not only have a better mastery of their environment, they also become more informed about their rights and obligations. These are the essential motivators for empowerment," he said.

Pointing out that not every disabled persons could fully realise their potential even with the benefits of universal education, Mr Strachan said a spectrum of social rehabilitation programmes were therefore developed for people with various degree of disability and hence different needs.

These programmes include vocational training, supported employment, sheltered work, day activity centres and residential services.

He said disabled persons were empowered through these programmes to make use of available opportunities for achievements to stretch the limits of their capabilities.

On empowerment through participation, the Director of Social Welfare said the policy was for rehabilitation to take place in the community in interaction with the public at large.

"On one hand, the more chances disabled persons have to participate in community life, the more they become integrated in it.

"On the other, the more disabled persons are integrated in society, the more they can contribute towards it and take part in social and political processes," he said.

Pointing out that disabled persons were represented in many of the consultation and policy-making venues such as the Rehabilitation Development Co-ordinating Committee and its sub-committees, Mr Strachan said he looked forward to seeing them going further and contributing to the making of social policies in general.