Minister Vong Soth: The implementation of the National Disability Strategic Plan requires participation from all national, sub-national, public, private and civil society organizations.

(Phnom Penh): H.E Vong Soth, Minister of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, said that the National Disability Strategic Plan is the indispensable foundation and backbone of the Law on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Incheon Strategy to "Make the Rights Real" for persons with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific. This strategic plan is to incorporate into the action plans of the Ministries and Institutions and to promote the rights and livelihoods of people with disabilities in Cambodia.

H.E Vong Soth said that the implementation of this plan requires participation from all relevant institutions at national, sub-national, public and private sectors, also development partners and civil society organizations. He added that the policy for poor People with Disabilities in community-base is being promoted in four provinces with a total of 3243 People with Disabilities. The Ministry plans to continue this plan to Kampong Cham and Kampong Thom soon. For the well-being of Persons Disabilities, the Government has carefully implemented a sub-decree on the recruitment of Persons with Disabilities, which now, 12.72% of People with Disabilities are working for public sector and we are continuing to urge the private sector to accept persons with disabilities at the rate of 1%.

Furthermore, H.E Vong Soth, Minister of Social Affairs has recommended three main points:

1. Request all Ministries and Institutions to build accessibility for People with Disabilities such as ramps, handrail for toilets and bathrooms, parking spaces, vehicles and transportation.
2. All Ministries, Institutions, development partner, Non-government organization and private sector have to make a report on the progress of the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Disability 2014-2018 and send to Disability Action Council so it can be review and submit to the government and the United Nations.
3. All ministries and institutions have to evaluate their policies with the National Strategic Plan on Disability 2014-2018 in order to determine the progresses and issues of each section and make adjustments accordingly. All ministries and institutions have to make annual report on the achievements on disability sector and submit to Government through the Disability Action Council.  

This statement was made when the Minister attended a national workshop on the review of the implementation of the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 with the participation of the Disability Action Council in collaboration with the UNDP under the sponsorship of the Australian Agency for International Development. This workshop was attended by 230 representatives from the relevant ministries and institutions, representatives of sub-national authorities, representatives of civil society organizations and people with disabilities.

H.E Em Chan Makara Secretariat General of Disability Action Council stated that the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 is a political tool that requires monitoring, evaluation and improvement in response to the current and future situation, such as reducing poverty of people with disabilities, discrimination, abuse, profanity, and exploitation of people with disabilities, providing justice, Health service, physical and intellectual rehabilitation.

H.E Em Chan Makara said that, as previously, the Government of Cambodia under the leadership of Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia and honorary chairman of the Disability Action Council, has improved the quality of education for people with disabilities. In addition, under the leadership of the Minister Vong Soth, Chairman of the Disability Action Council, the sub-decree on the prizes for persons with disabilities in winning professional competitions such as sport, Special Olympic and also sponsorship to coaches and assistant teachers have been approved by the Government to encourage people with disabilities.

Mr. Ngin Saorath, Executive Director of Cambodian Disabled People Organization said that private sectors and public sectors have been involved in providing education, job for people with disabilities. So we are very glad that the care for persons with disabilities in both health and political is being promote.

In addition, Mr. Ngin Saoroth wants the private sector to continue to provide more jobs for people with disabilities, especially the relevant ministries. Also there should be more budget for the implementation of the national plan.

He said that the job opportunity policy had been remarkable, but the $5 policy for people with disabilities has not been implemented in the whole country. Thus, the next strategy should continue to push for more policy support for people with disabilities nationwide. Another point regarding the data of people with disabilities still seems to be unclear. In various ministries, there’s still a thinking that the work related to people with disabilities, is the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs, but we need to understand that the disability issue is a cross-cutting issue. So we want to see the inter-ministerial committee put more consideration on this issue and use their budget in the implementation of the National Disability Strategic Plan.