ភាសាខ្មែរ
English
Regional Consultative Workshop On National Disability Strategic Plan (NDSP) 2014-2018
On November 28, 2013, at the KhsachMeas Hotel, Preh Sihanouk Province, under support of Australia via the Australian Agency for International Development, the Disability Action Council organized a regional consultative workshop to assist in the development of the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018.
This workshop was organized under the presidency of His Excellency Chan Ratha, Deputy Secretary General, Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, and the member of Disability Action Council, His Excellency VongSoth, President of Disability Action Council, His Excellency Em Chan Makara, Secretary General of Disability Action Council Secretariat General, and His Excellency SrunSroun, Deputy Governor of Sihanoukvill Province.
His Excellency Em Chan Makara, Secretary General of the Disability Action Council, Secretariat General, stated in this regional consultative workshop that; participants come from the members of Disability Action Council, Provincial Leaders, Head Departments of the Provincial Government, Chamber of Commerce, Non-government Organizations, Communities, as well as 80 Persons with Disabilities who come from Sihanoukvill, Kampong Speu, Kampot, Kep, Koh Kong, Kandal, and Takeo Provinces.
Today’s workshop is part of the development process for the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018. The NDSP is based on an understanding of the disabled sector through a number of relevant documents:
- national policies,
- national and international logical frameworks,
- national and international strategic plans of countries, regions and global plans,
- bilateral consultative meetings with national and international institutions who work in the disabled sectors,
- collective information via survey from governmental institutions,
- communities, and
- two regional consultative workshops, one was conducted on 26th of November 2013 in Seam Reap Province and another is conducted today at Sihanoukvill.
In addition, His Excellency Em Chan Makara General Secretary, stated that via the new sub-decree No. 216 HNRK.BK, dated on 2nd of May 2013 on the organizing and functioning of Disability Action Council, the Royal Government of Cambodia has delegated additional duties to the Disability Action Council:
- Organizing the national strategic plan and action plan related to the disabled,
- Organizing national and international events and other disabled events,
- Leading, organizing, implementing, and reporting on the implementation of the Convention of Persons with Disabilities,
- Reporting on the situation of Persons with Disabilities to the Royal Government of Cambodia etc.
According to the sub-decree No. 216, Disability Action Council has established its members at all municipalities and the capital and at all Ministries and Institutions, as a mechanism to enable the Disability Action Council to fulfill its duties and responsibilities for facilitation and consultation on the issues of Persons with Disabilities, and report on the situation of ministries, institutions, the capital and municipalities. From this, the Disability Action Council can report on the situation of Persons with Disability in Cambodia to the United Nations.
On this occasion, His Excellency Em Chan Makara, General Secretary has additionally stated that the Rights of Persons with Disability is protected by law, awareness raising on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is widely considered, discrimination against Persons with Disabilities is progressively reduced. Honor and dignity of Persons with Disabilities is extensively respected and recognized.
Persons with Disabilities and Children with Disabilities are integrated into all development programmes so that they are not excluded from society. Social behavior has to be changed so that people positively view the disabled, and they are recognized for their activities and voice; thus, it is a promotion of social development.
Persons with Disabilities and Children with Disabilities have the capability to overcome all of their barriers, so integration of Persons with Disabilities into all sectors based on the principal of equality and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities can improve their lives and their communities. As the slogan states “Make the Rights Real”.
The Disability Action Council is fund raising in order to; and in cooperation with the National Statistics Institution of the Ministry of Planning to update the database of Persons with Disabilities according to the “International Classification System of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)” for the purpose of appropriate policy making and the continuation of service provision to Persons with Disabilities and Children with Disabilities.
The representative of His Excellency SbongSarat, the Governor of Sihanoukvill Province, His Excellency SrunSroun, Deputy Governor of Sihanoukvill Province, stated in this workshop that the Provincial authority is ready to cooperate with the Disability Action Council, Ministries, related institutions, national and international organizations to implement the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018.
Considering the discussion, as I am representative for the provincial authority, I would like to support all actions in order to achieve the needs of Persons with Disabilities as stated in the Law on the Protection and the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the benefit of Persons with Disabilities across the Province.
His Excellecny SrunSroun also stated that the Provincial authority has been involved with the Royal Government and Disability Action Council to implement many principals of prevention of disability including:
- law enforcement of traffic law,
- awareness raising and education on the traffic law and traffic accidents,
- raising understanding on the danger of landmines and unexploded devices,
- reducing domestic violence, and
- integration of persons with disabilities into society.
These activities are the concrete evidence that show that the Royal Government of Cambodia is paying attention to disability, supporting Persons with Disabilities in order to promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, physical rehabilitation, encouragement of integration, and the involvement of Persons with Disabilities into social development and economy across the province.
His Excellency Chan Ratha, Deputy Secretary General Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority and the member of Disability Action Council, informed the audience that this National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018 is a reflection of Disability Action Council as a secretariat of the Royal Government of Cambodia, paying attention to fulfilling its duties for the Government as the state party of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and a signatory country of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2013-2022 and Incheon Strategy “Make the Rights Real”.
Through the sub-decree No. 216 HNRK.BK, dated on 20th of May 2013, the Royal Government of Cambodia delegates duties to the Disability Action Council. There are wise recommendations from the Samdach Aka MohaSenaPadeiTecho HUN SEN, the Prime Minister of Kingdom of Cambodia and the Honorary President of Disability Action Council as stated on the 29th of May 2013, during the official launch on the commitment to implementation of the United Nations of Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities 2013-2022 Incheon Strategy “Make the Rights Real” and the continuing National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018.
His Excellency Chan Ratha, Deputy Secretary General Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, also clarified that Community-based Rehabilitation is a contribution supporting Persons with Disabilities that, promotes livelihood, education, physical rehabilitation, vocational training, and business. More importantly, deaf people and blind persons are provided additional services such as brail and sign language; these are established and integrated into curriculum in education, information, and television channels as accessible information services to the disabled.
Additional to this, Children with Disabilities have opportunities to attend public schools, discrimination free. A number of buildings have ramps for students with disabilities. Centres and schools for Blind and Deaf Children are supported with livelihood and education until university. Additionally many Persons with Disabilities became capable employees.
This National Disability Strategic Plan is a very important mechanism for the disabled sector in Cambodia, for it offers an opportunity to integrate disabled services into policies and other programmes of the non-disabled sector. In regards to the necessity of a national plan to serve disabled services, the Royal Government of Cambodia, under the intelligent leading of Samdach Aka MohaSenaPadeiTecho HUN SEN, the Prime Minister of Kingdom of Cambodia and the Honorary President of Disability Action Council declared on 29th of May 2013 to continue the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018.
His Excellency Chan Ratha also noted that today’s Regional Consultative Workshop on the National Disability Strategic Plan 2014-2018, “has received a lot of good inputs, which are important for the development process, for an efficient plan in order to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the Royal Government of Cambodia to serve and benefit People with Disabilities across Cambodia”.