PHNOM PENH: In celebration of the Cambodian and International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Prime Minister Hun Manet sent out a message saying that he is highly committed to the successful implementation of the first phase of the Pentagon Strategy and the National Strategic Plan on Disability.
The Cambodian celebration is held this year on December 3 under the theme, "Innovative Solutions for a Comfortable and Equitable Society.”
The Prime Minister said that the government’s strategy will address people’s needs, reduce economic risk, and implement a social assistance system that will prevent persons with disabilities from struggling alone and provide them with income security.
"We must work together to ensure that people with disabilities in the Kingdom of Cambodia enjoy their rights, freedoms, welfare and full participation in an environmentally friendly manner," he said.
"Additionally, we need to strengthen our coordination of policy formulation and initiatives to ensure that we can recover from the global crisis for the sake of our people with disabilities in Cambodia. We need to feed them," he said. "Our efforts and policies go hand in hand with regional and global efforts to achieve consistency."
He said the government intends to address needs like physical infrastructure, such as ramps, parking lots, transportation and communication means, such as wider access to sign language on television stations and in civil settings.
The PM went on to praise his father, Hun Sen, for his work as former Prime Minister and Honorary Chairman of the Disability Action Council and his mother, Bun Rany, for her work as President of the Cambodian Red Cross.
"They are both great, wise and talented leaders who have maintained a stable, peaceful and secure country for all, especially person with disability, who they consider their children and grandchildren throughout the country," said the Prime Minister.
He noted that when the yearly celebration for persons with disabilities was suspended during Covid, former Prime Minister Hun Sen had his officials visit and bring gifts to them at various NGOs.
Presently, the government says that 7,535 persons with disabilities are employed in public and private institutions. Meanwhile the Ministry of Social Affairs has been implementing the Disability Identification Program to provide data and accessibility so that its programs can provide what is needed to those who need it. So far, it has distributed over 222,000 ID cards.
The Royal Government urges public and private institutions to build more resources for persons with disabilities, including innovative and vibrant curricula to ensure that they can live in a fair and competitive Cambodian society. He said that leaders must look to hire qualified candidates with disabilities as civil servants, workers, employees, apprentices or interns.
The PM also ordered the Ministries of Transport and Health to work with the Ministry of Social Affairs to make it easier for persons with disabilities to obtain a driver's license.
