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Collective Support Shown for the Accelerating Disability Rights in Cambodia Program

PHNOM PENH: The Program Appraisal Committee for the Accelerating Disability Rights in Cambodia (ADRC) program held a meeting to present the final program document and seek comments to guide the program’s implementation on Thursday morning (28 April). The ADRC is a United Nations (UN) joint program between the UNDP, OHCHR and UNESCO, with technical support provided by the ILO, and fully funded by the United Nations Partnership to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD).

The meeting was held in hybrid online-offline format, and was co-chaired by the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) and Secretary General of the Disability Action Council (DAC), Em Chan Makara, and the UN Resident Coordinator, Pauline Tamesis. Also in attendance were other government officials and representatives from the UNDP, OHCHR, UNESCO, ILO and other relevant NGOs, government and private sector agencies.

UN Resident Coordinator, Pauline Tamesis, opened the meeting by welcoming all in attendance and giving a brief overview of the findings from the UNPRPD Secretariat approved inception phase, that involved a situation analysis of PWDs in Cambodia and the program design in collaboration with various government institutions, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), with the participation of around 78 people (including 25 women).

She said that the main key findings and recommendations from the situation analysis included strengthening national and subnational coordination mechanisms for expanded social protection coverage of PWDs across the country, enhancing the capacity of OPDs, Women with Disabilities Forums (WWDFs) and the Government, and supporting the implementation of the Covid-19 Recovery Plan, which will help PWDs exercise their rights and access services and support. 

The UN Resident Coordinator further underlined that the main aim of the ADRC program is to enable structural change for the full inclusion of PWDs in Cambodia. She also outlined the three program outcomes focused on enhancing stakeholder capacity to contribute to disability inclusive policies and systems, reduce gaps between the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of PWDs (CRPD) and humanitarian programs, and mainstream disability inclusion in national development and humanitarian plans.

Representatives from the UNDP, the main implementing agency, and partners OHCHR and UNESCO presented the final details of the program document, such as the program rationale, strategy, workplan, budget, and monitoring and evaluation. Some of the main background findings included the lack of mainstreaming of disability into broader policies and plans in Cambodia, as well as how the Covid-19 pandemic particularly negatively impacted the livelihoods of PWDs. 

The main strategies outlined to successfully implement the project included amending the new disability law and monitoring implementation in consultation with OPDs and WWDFs, improving access to information, justice and legal aid services and vocational training and employment for PWDs, and enhancing the capacity of organizations working in the disability sector. 

The meeting also clarified that there would be a Program Steering Committee established, co-chaired by the MoSVY Secretary of State and the UN Resident Coordinator, and with relevant government, UN organization and disability focused local NGO representatives as members. The committee would be in charge of providing overall guidance and overseeing the implementation of the ADRC program.

Following a brief Q&A session in which several partner and non-partnered organizations expressed their collective support of the program, MoSVY Secretary of State, Em Chan Makara, delivered the closing remarks. He thanked the committee for inviting him to the meeting on behalf of the Minister of Social Affairs, Vong Sauth, and expressed great appreciation for the draft program details presented, saying that he fully supports and agrees with the program initiative. 

He further continued that he is very grateful that the project focuses on Cambodian PWDs, saying that he was happy to see a large amount of funding being dedicated to support the Royal Government of Cambodia in amending the national disability law and supporting the livelihoods of PWDs after the Covid-19 pandemic. He took the opportunity to thank the UNDP for supporting DAC on the implementation of the CRPD as well as the national strategy plan for PWDs.

The Secretary of State particularly mentioned how Prime Minister Hun Sen gives a lot of priority to the disability sector in Cambodia, and spoke about how a new center for disability is currently being built and will be completed next year. He clarified that the Royal Government has so far ratified the CRPD and also has its own national law on the protection of PWDs, and added that he hopes to see these documents get translated into action plans. 

The meeting concluded on a note of general agreement and collective endorsement for the program.

The Accelerating Disability Rights in Cambodia (ADRC) program was developed with the aim to enable structural changes (improving legislative framework, enhancing implementation of policies, increasing participation in decision making etc.) which are necessary for the full inclusion of PWDs into Cambodian society. The program will run from 5 March 2022 to 31 December 2023, with a budget of US $622,419.



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