SIHANOUKVILLE: Secretary of State for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, Em Chan Makara, said that he would like to have audible pedestrian crossing signals installed at every traffic light to make it easier for the blind when crossing the road.

Sec. Em Chan Makara made the request at the inauguration of the training course on the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which includes international human rights standards and national legal standards. Launched in Sihanoukville on May 30, the new training course will be available to members of the Sihanoukville Disability Action Council and will help the council better understand the needs of persons with disabilities within the province.

Sec. Em Chan Makara said he planned to discuss the matter of auditory signals for crosswalks with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, who often assists Cambodia with technical logistics. He noted that Cambodia does not currently have any auditory indicators for the blind to signal that a road is safe to cross. Sidewalks in Phnom Penh and some major provinces have been made more accessible to the blind through the addition of grooved borders which allow people to sense the edge of the sidewalk with their cane. Broader infrastructure to support persons with disabilities in public is improving as well.

At the ceremony, the Secretary of State reaffirmed that all persons with disabilities have the right to choose their jobs freely, enjoy decent and favorable working conditions, and receive assistance from employment programs. He also emphasized their right to quality physical, mental and reproductive healthcare that is affordable and accessible-specifically noting the importance of access to medical services at rehabilitation centers and public hospitals.

The Secretary of State certified that the Royal Government of Cambodia has prioritized improving the lives of the disabled by enacting important laws, regulations and policies to ensure non-discrimination and equal opportunities that permit persons with disabilities to fully participate in society.

Sec. Em Chan Makara celebrated the new training course as playing an important and indispensable role in implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Cambodia, which will help bring the country in line with international standards.

Sec. Em Chan Makara praised the cooperation between the General Secretariat of the Disability Action Council, which has worked closely with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia (OHCHR) and the Sihanouk provincial administration in organizing the training. He considered that this training is to contribute to the promotion of democracy and human rights in Cambodia, in general, to promote the rights of people with disabilities more widely, not inferior to developed countries or democracies like other countries in Region and in the world.

The Disability Action Council (DAC) and OHCHR had a long-standing cooperation to contribution to the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in Cambodia.