On 11 December in Phnom Penh, UNESCO gathered over 60 experts and representatives from Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, the Government, Civil Society, Media and Academia to validate the findings of an extensive research that the UN entity has been conducting in Cambodia to identify the key challenges faced by persons with disabilities in accessing information. During the workshop, participants discussed the findings of the study, and contributed to the formulation of policy recommendations to assist in breaking down the barriers which prevent people with disabilities from enjoying their right to know.
The discussions held during the workshop will serve to finalize the first of its kind report "Information Needs Assessment for Persons with Disabilities in Cambodia", which will be launched in early 2024. This publication, produced by UNESCO in collaboration with the Cambodia Development Resource Institutie, will provide a comprehensive analysis of the current state of information accessibility among persons with different type and severity of disabilities in Cambodia. The report will capture the status and implementation progress of various national legal and policy instruments and mechanisms concerning how persons with disabilities access information, the barriers they face, and the type of information that they need. With this solid evidence, the document will include concrete recommendations to assist in the design and implementation of concrete programmes and policies to address the issue.
Through a mixed methods approach, this study triangulated the 2021-22 Cambodia Demographic Health Survey (CDHS) data with the mapping review of 18 policies; and substantiated with insights from 61 interviews with persons with different types of disabilities, representatives from 10 line ministries, development partners, and Organization for Persons with Disabilities (OPDs). The study was conducted across five different locations in Cambodia including Phnom Penh, Kampong Chnang, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Tboung Khmom and Ratanakiri.
H.E Em Chan Makara, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation and Secretary General of the Disability Action Council (DAC) of Cambodia, presided over the validation workshop, highlighting the importance of collective efforts in the advancement of ensuring access to information for persons with disabilities, and calling on the representatives from line ministries to use the findings of this report to design and implement policies and action plans, including for the review of relevant laws to maximise information accessibility for persons with disabilities.
As a State Party which ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), Cambodia recognizes that persons with disabilities are entitled to the same rights as the rest of its citizens, including the right to access information. Based on the Cambodia Demographic Health Survey (CDHS) 2021-22, the number of people with some reported degree of disability is estimated to be about 24.4%.
UNESCO is working towards the advancement of the right to access information for persons with disabilities, as part of the UN Joint Programme, Accelerating Disability Rights in Cambodia which is implemented in collaboration with UNDP and OHCHR, and the financial support of the UN Partnership for the Rights of Persons with disabilities (UNPRPD).
