Consultation Workshop: Australian Government’s Contribution to the Development of the National Disability Strategic Plan (NDSP) 2024 – 2028

On 13-14 June 2023, a consultation workshop was organised to develop the National Disability Strategic Plan (NDSP) for 2024–2028. This collaborative effort involved the Disability Action Council-Secretariat General (DAC-SG), the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and Cambodian Disabled People’s Organisation (CDPO). The workshop was supported by the Australian Government through the Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable Sustainable Services (ACCESS) Program and the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD).

The workshop brought together representatives from the MoSVY, DAC-SG, the National Social Assistance Fund, the Persons with Disabilities Foundation (PWDF), development partners, CDPO, UNDP, the Australian Embassy in Cambodia, and the Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable Sustainable Services (ACCESS) Program team. The purpose was to review challenges and lessons learned from the implementation of the National Disability Strategic Plan (2019 to- 2023) and provide input on a proposed draft NDSP for 2024–2028.

In his opening remarks, His Excellency Em Chan Makara, Secretary of State at MoSVY and Secretary General of DAC-SG, stated that “the NDSP received attention and participation from key individuals and stakeholders to address the issues that persons with disabilities have faced in the past and continue to experience”. He highlighted the need for continued advocacy for the employment of persons with disabilities in both public and private institutions, in order to fulfill the mandate of the NDSP.

Mr Connor Floyd, Second Secretary of the Australian Embassy in Cambodia, highlighted the significant achievements made during in the implementation of the NDSP 2019-2023 with the support of the ACCESS Program. These achievements included strengthening multisectoral coordination within the disability sector at the national and sub-national levels; improving access to economic opportunities for persons with disabilities through employment support and entrepreneurship; facilitating the delivery of physical rehabilitation services even during the COVID-19 pandemic; and developing relevant policies and associated tools that align with global best practices, such as national standards on physical accessibility and a Disability Inclusion Manual.

“The Government of Australia is proud of having contributed to some of these key achievements through the ACCESS partnership and in close collaboration with the DAC and MoSVY,” he added.

For over a decade, the Australian Government has been a leading supporter of the disability sector in Cambodia. Through the ACCESS Program, the Australian Government works in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia to support the implementation of the NDSP. The program aims to improve the quality of services, increase the participation of persons with disabilities, reduce discrimination, and enhance the sense of self-worth, confidence and independence among persons with disabilities.