Summary of the Ceremony

The Official Launching Ceremony of the National Disability Strategic Plan (NDSP) 2014-2018 and the Fifth Anniversary of the Law on the Protection and the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was organized by the Royal Government of Cambodia through the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) and the Disability Action Council (DAC) in Phnom Penh on 3 July 2014. The event was co-organized by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD), and the Persons with Disabilities Foundation. Among the co-sponsors included the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Attended by more than 3,000 participants, the event was presided over by Cambodian Prime Minister H.E. Samdech Akeak Moha Sena Padei Decho Hun Sen who extolled the Plan as an effective tool in addressing disability issues. H.E. Mr. Vong Sauth, Minister of MoSVY, kindly addressed the contribution of partners including APCD in relation to grassroot activities in partnership with the Government of Cambodia. The event also featured the official handover of the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 to MoSVY.

All partners expressed their willingness to collaborate with the Government of Cambodia, persons with disabilities and their organizations, and other partners in line with the adopted NDSP 2014-2018.

Media Coverage

Screenshots of the following coverages in both print and broadcast media:

Phnom Penh Post.

TVK Channel - Khmer Live TV

The Cambodian Herald.

Khmer Times.

The Cambodia Daily.

Shanghai Daily.com

Programme

06:30-07:00: Arrival of participants

07:00-07:30: Arrival of national and international honored guests

07:30-08:00: Arrrival of senior government officers

8:00-10:00:

- National anthem

- Welcome speech by H.E. Mr. Vong Sauth, Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation and Vice President of Disability Action Council

- Speech by H.E. Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of
the Kingdom of Cambodia and Honorary President of Disability Action Council

- Handing over the National Disability Strategic Plan (NDSP) 2014-2018 to H.E. Mr. Vong Sauth, Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation and Vice President of Disability Action Council

- Returning of H.E. Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of Kingdom of Cambodia and Honorary President of Disability Action Council

Speech

by H.E. Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN

Your Excellencies, Members of the Royal Government, Ambassadors, Distinguished

National and International Guests,

Beloved Persons with Disabilities, Teachers and Students,

Today, I am delighted to attend the launch of the “National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 and the celebration of the 5th Anniversary of the Law on Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”. This event offers us an opportunity to understand latest disability-related developments and review the progress to date to identify the work to be done and shortages for the cause of ensuring the basic rights of persons with disabilities, creating more opportunities for them, facilitating their participation in socio-economic development without barriers and discrimination, and enabling them to live on equal footing and equal rights in the society.

This event indeed highlights the strong political will and commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia to protect and promote the rights of the persons with disabilities, especially the right to life, the right to special protection, the right to work and the right to full participation in socio-economic development. Overall, Cambodia has always paid special attention to the disability sector, therefore, great achievement in this sector. There has been improvement to the share of persons with disabilities in both public and private sector; allocation of social land concession to persons with disabilities for housing construction and family-based farming; provision of public education, healthcare, physical rehabilitation service and vocational training; development of Braille and sign language; construction of wheelchair ramps for buildings, especially the establishment of national-level and institutional-level mechanisms, such as the National Disability Action Council and the Disability Fund, to coordinate and promote disability work.

The National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 is the necessary foundation and backbone for improving the living standards and promoting the rights of the persons with disabilities in Cambodia, which is a major contribution to the enforcement of the law on protection and promotion of the rights of the persons with disabilities, the implementation of the convention on the Asia and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2013-2022, the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” and the Rectangular Strategy – Phase III of the Royal Government of Cambodia. In sum, the National Disability Strategic Plan consists of ten goals viz. poverty reduction for persons of disabilities; provision of equal and quality and equitable healthcare, including occupational, physical and mental rehabilitation; provision of judicial service; elimination of discrimination, mistreatment and exploitation; provision of education; their freedom to expression and access to information; their participation in politics and development;facilitation of their use of public transport and communication means; assurance of gender equity and empowerment of women and children; and strengthening and expansion of international cooperation.

Indeed, the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 outlines the vision to enhance the quality of life of persons with disabilities and their families and enable them to participate on equal footing in a society which promotes rights and dignity, justice services and independent living; is free from torturing, mistreatment, exploitation and violence; provides emergency relief assistance when needed; and incorporates disability into all sectoral development. Overall, through this vision, we are fully aware that persons with disabilities must receive special attention and treatment since their physical and mental capacities are different from normal people. Persons and children with disabilities must be included in all development activities. We must also change social attitude toward and views on persons with disabilities by acknowledging their actions and take into account their voice to promote inclusive socio-economic development.

I am strongly convinced that this National Disability Strategic Plan is a dynamic policy tool helping address disability issues. In addition, this work requires regular monitoring, evaluation and improvement to respond to the constantly evolving circumstance. In this spirit, I strongly believe that we will implement this National Disability Strategic Plan successfully and effectively to move toward a barrier-free society which provides opportunities to persons with disabilities.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to commend highly the Disability Action Council, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, related ministries/institutions, land authorities, development partners, NGOs and persons with disabilities for contributing to the preparation of this historic strategy. I also commend highly the achievement as well as programs to date aimed to prevent disabilities such as vaccination, disability prevention treatment, medical treatment, physical therapy, physical rehabilitation, elimination of polio from birth, mine clearance, implementation and dissemination of the Law on Land Traffic, suppression of violent acts and integration of persons with disabilities into the society. These achievements highlight our concerted effort to prevent disabilities and support and encourage persons with disabilities aimed to restore their occupational capacity and incorporate disabilities into all socio-economic activities to ensure their full contribution to the society.

In general, disability exists in all countries and is the global concern that must be addressed. Nowadays, there are around one billion persons with disabilities in the world, amongst them, 200 million are facing hardships. In particular, there are around 650 million persons with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific, which is equivalent to 15% of the regional population, requiring immediate response. There is a projection that disabilities will become a grave concern in the coming years due to the global increase in disabilities caused by chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart attack, stroke and so on. This requires our attention on seeking immediate response including the enhancement of social welfare, physical and mental rehabilitation, vaccination, increase in public awareness on the causes of disabilities etc. In addition, we must keep in mind that Cambodians are vulnerable to disabilities, due to landmines and UXOs, traffic accidents, occupational accidents and diseases.

Indeed, we have continuously striven to enhance the welfare of Cambodians with disabilities. Moreover, in addressing disabilities, Cambodia ratified the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities on December 20, 2012 which later came into force on January 19, 2013. Besides, we are proud that the Kingdom of Cambodia was the first member state of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) that adopted the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific 2013-2022 that provides the first set of regionally agreed disability-inclusive development goals and acts as a roadmap for enhancing the living standard and promoting the rights of around 650 million persons with disabilities in the Asia Pacific and put in into implementation on May 29, 2013.

Furthermore, Cambodia has also ratified several conventions including the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and their Destruction, the implementation of Biwako Decade Framework for Action and Biwako Plus Five. In sum, Cambodia has been actively contributed to the international community’s effort to address challenges related to disability issues and persons with disabilities.

As a result of this commitment, governmental ministries/institutions employed 2,460 persons with disabilities as of 2013. In addition, persons with disabilities have been given priority in the selection of beneficiaries of social land concession by providing them lands for housing construction and family-based farming at Taken Koh Sla Center, 317 Development Area for Persons with Disabilities in Kulen, Siem Reap and Phnom Chhat, Banteay Meanchey along the provision of occupational rehabilitation service at their communities, physical treatment and rehabilitation, vocational training and development of Braille and sign language that have been incorporated into academic curriculum and media to keep persons with disabilities updated with latest news. Furthermore, children with disabilities also have access to education without discrimination; wheelchair ramps have been built in a number of educational establishments; and deaf and blind children living in designated centers and schools will receive support till they have finished higher education.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to provide some recommendations to contribute to the successful and effective implementation of this strategy as follows:

First, all ministries/institutions and authorities at all levels must start developing detailed an action-plan and prioritize specific disability-related measures to be included in their respective work plans to help strengthen and expand disability prevention measures and create more opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Second, ministerial / institutional disability action working groups and capital/provincial disability action councils are obligated to coordinate information exchange and integrate the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 into policy programs of respective ministries and institutions. In parallel, there must be regular progress report, mid-term and final review of the implementation of the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 to ensure the enhanced livelihoods of persons with disabilities.

Third, ministries/institutions must benchmark their existing policies and strategies against the National Disability Strategic Plan to measure progress, identify work to be done and align with the national strategic plan on disability. All ministries/institutions and stakeholders must submit annual progress report on disability work to the disability action council for consolidation.

Fourth, promoting the preparation of regulations for implementing the Law on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, including Subdecrees, inter-ministerial decision/Prakas and ministerial Prakas to ensure timely and effective implementation of the aforesaid law. In this regard, I believe the law and its related regulations will contribute to transforming the nature of the service for persons with disabilities from previously considered humanitarian work to a systematic social insurance scheme, which, in turn, can help strengthen their ownership spirit and promote the capabilities of persons with disabilities and their integration into the society.

Fifth, I wish to remind ministries/institutions and the private sector to comply with the requirement of recruiting persons with disabilities at least 2% of the total recruitment for governmental ministries/institutions and at least 1% for the private sector within three years. In this regard, the Disability Action Council must further promote the implementation of the quota of persons with disabilities in the private sector and regular update the share of persons with disabilities in both public and private sector. Ministries/institutions and legal entities must continue implementing and coordinating this work to ensure persons with disabilities can fully participate in all ministries/institutions and organizations.

With connection to the above spirit, I would like to appeal to Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, representatives from ministries/institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, NGOs, and private sector to continue your attention on the disability issues, the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities and incorporation of disability into all levels of development work to build an inclusive society and make the right real. Besides, looking ahead, we have to keep in mind that the implementation of National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 requires program-based approach, strategic coordination and prioritization of disability actions. Therefore, the Disability Action Council must develop programs and strategic coordination mechanisms to ensure the successful implementation of the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018.

Before ending, I wish to dedicate this event to our concerted effort to transform the suffering from disability into the golden opportunity for persons with disabilities and all Cambodian people to further promote their capabilities, skills, rights, solidarity, cooperation and ownership spirit. I would like to take this opportunity to express my full support for the effort to improve vocational skills and capacity and encourage all persons with disabilities to strengthen your fighting spirit to live in dignity.

Finally, along the official launch of the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018, I would like to wish Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, national and international guests, persons with disability, teachers and students the four gems of Buddhist blessing: Longevity, Nobility, Healthiness and Strength.

Photo Gallery

H.E. Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN greeted participants

Saluting National Anthem during opening ceremony

Departure of H.E. Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN

H.E. Em Chan Makara, Secretary-General of Disability Action Council with participants

Welcome speech by H.E. Mr. Vong Sauth,
Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation and Vice President of Disability Action Council

Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation and Vice President of Disability Action Council

Over 3,000 participants attended the Launching

Leaders with Disabilities expressed their full support for Cambodia’s National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018

Leaders with Disabilities expressed their full support for Cambodia’s National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018\

(Back Cover)

Accessible for Persons with disAbilities

Disability Action Council (DAC)

#788, Monivong Blvd, Beong Trabek, Chamkamorn, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Tel: +85-5-23727428 | Fax: +85-5-23727426

E-mail: dac@dac.org.kh | Website: www.dac.org.kh

Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD)

255 Rajvithi Rd., Rajthevi, Bangkok 10400 Thailand

Tel: +66-(0)-2354-7505 | Fax: +66-(0)-2354-7507

Email: info@apcdfoundation.org | Website: www.apcdfoundation.org