PHNOM PENH: The Secretary of State for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) and Secretary General of the Disability Action Council (DAC), Em Chan Makara, has said that in recent years, the Royal Government has paved the way and provided new opportunities for women and girls with disabilities to fully benefit from the National Disability Strategic Plan.

Speaking at the opening ceremony for the Training Course on Cell Interface in Gender Disability and Response Services to Improve Access to Services for Members of the Gender Mainstreaming Working Group of the Ministry of Social Affairs on Monday morning (18 April), Secretary of State Em Chan Makara said that MoSVY, as well as the General Secretariat of the DAC, are strongly committed to ensuring that all women and girls, especially women and girls with disabilities, have equal rights, opportunities, equality and protection, and that their voices are uplifted and included in the decision-making process.

He said, "The Royal Government of Cambodia has launched the National Strategic Plan on Disability 2019-2023, ensuring gender equality for women and girls with disabilities, with a clear vision of the importance of gender equality for the empowerment of women with disabilities and an effective way to achieve sustainable and environmental development."

During his speech, the Secretary of State further highlighted the efforts of the head of the Royal Government, Prime Minister Hun Sen, in the fight against Covid-19, as well as the provision of various social assistance measures to the poor and vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.

He added that in the context of the Covid-19, it has been crucial that actions are taken so that the difficult progress made on gender equality over the past few decades would not be diminished by the negative effects of the pandemic.

He also clarified that the term gender equality does not only refer to the promotion of women, but critically, to the equality between women and men, which mean no one sex should be promoted above another.

"That's why I said that when we talk about gender equality for women or girls with disabilities, please consider both men and women with disabilities. So, in general, what I call for is strengthening the capacity of women and girls with disabilities, so they can fairly compete with able-bodied persons, so that persons with disabilities can do whatever able-bodied persons can do. To make equal rights a reality," said Secretary of State, Em Chan Makara.

The Second Secretary of the Australian Embassy in Cambodia, Connor Floyd, stated that raising awareness about gender equality in the field of disability is important, to address the barriers that men and women with disabilities face in accessing services, and to consider options to be taken in order to reduce these barriers. He believes that through a better understanding of gender equality and disability will enable governments as well as other relevant sectors to find ways to contribute to improving the status of individuals and groups, so that all persons with disabilities can participate and benefit from societal activities without facing discrimination.

He said, "Eliminating discrimination and promoting the rights of women and persons with disabilities is not the responsibility of any government agency, but is our collective role and responsibility."

Gender equality is a process of justice for women and men. To ensure justice, strategies and measures must be taken to address the historical and social systems in place that hinder women from achieving equality with men. Gender equality entails equal enjoyment as well as equal value placed on both women and men in society, where all are given the same opportunities, resources and rewards.