PHNOM PENH: The Secretary of State of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, and Secretary-General of the Disability Action Council, Em Chan Makara, has shared that by the end of 2022, persons with disabilities in Cambodia were afforded much more opportunities to work in both public and private institutions, compared to 2021.

He said that by the end of December 2022, there were 3,748 persons with disabilities working in the public sector, of which 23% were women, indicating an increase of 4% compared to 2021. In addition, 5,839 persons with disabilities were recorded to have become employed in the private sector, of which 66% are women, indicating an increase of 12% compared to 2021.

The Disability Action Council Secretary-General presented this report at the 13th Disability Workstream Quarterly Meeting for the Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable and Sustainable Services (ACCESS) program at the Cambodiana Hotel on Thursday, 16 February 2023, with the Second Secretary of the Australian Embassy in Cambodia, Connor Floyd, ACCESS Team Leader, Anne Rouve-Khiev, and other ACCESS Program representatives in attendance.

Secretary of State Em Chan Makara recalled some of the main statistics and achievements made in the past. For example, he highlighted how 19,772 persons with disabilities, 43% women, received allowances under the policy framework for poor persons with disabilities in the community. Additionally, 64,576 persons with disabilities from poor families have also received benefits under the social assistance program organized by the government, as of January 2023.

The Secretary of State thanked the Australian Government and people for providing technical and financial support to the disability sector in Cambodia for over a decade now.

"Despite these proud achievements, there is still much work to be done and further strengthened and expanded, including raising public awareness of disability, ensuring fundamental rights, building human resources in the field of disability and increasing the budget in this sector as well," he, however, added.

He said that these tasks require the participation of parties at all levels, including the active participation of persons with disabilities themselves.

"I would also like to congratulate and welcome the continued support of the Australian Government for ACCESS for the next five years," concluded the Secretary of State.