The ACCESS Six Monthly Reflection Workshop: Sharing and Learning from Key Counterparts
On 4 April 2023, with support from the Australian Government, the Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable Sustainable Services (ACCESS) Program, conducted its final six-monthly reflection workshop, with the participation of 80 representatives (39 of whom were female and 12 were persons with disabilities) from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA), the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY), the Ministry of Interior, the Disability Action Council Secretariat General, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the National Social Security Fund, the Physical Rehabilitation Centres (PRCs), the Persons with Disabilities Foundation, ACCESS Implementing Partners, and sub-national government counterparts.
The workshop provided an opportunity for participants to reflect on and discuss the impact of the program on different beneficiary groups, the manner and extent to which the program has engaged with and empowered beneficiaries, the adherence to the principles of ‘Do no Harm’ and ‘Nothing about them without them’, and the experience of sub-national implementation at the district and commune levels, as well as practical mitigations of any residual restructuring impacts.
Four participants from gender-based violence (GBV) and disability service providers and supervisors were selected to share their points of view and experience of the workshop.
Her Excellency Pang Dany, the Deputy Provincial Governor in Kampong Cham province in charge of disability and women’s affairs expressed: “I appreciate the workshop provided by ACCESS. The workshop collected inputs and recommendations from participants who are key stakeholders supporting beneficiaries, by sharing lessons learned, including the strengths, weaknesses, and key achievements of their interventions in order to inform for further activities.” Another participant, Ms Hak Sovy Rany, Deputy District Governor of Chamkar Leu district, who also works to support survivors of GBV, expressed her opinion on the significance of the workshop, where she had the chance to meet and discuss with service providers from other provinces.
Mr Mom Sothara, Deputy Director of the Persons with Disabilities Foundation (PWDF), shared that the workshop allowed the participants to share their challenges, good practices, and solutions from each sector. The ACCESS Program supports PWDF by improving services at the PRCs and developing the capacity of their staff. As a result, more women with disabilities have come to receive services at the PRCs through the dissemination of information in their respective communities. Another service provider, Ms Khun Vanneth, Director of the Women Federation in Kampong Cham, said: “The workshop is very important, as it reflected the implementation of ACCESS support. I will share the knowledge I have learned with my colleagues and women with disabilities in my community, in order to promote the rights of women with disabilities and their participation.”
This is the last ACCESS reflection workshop scheduled to take place during the program’s duration. The workshop wrapped up with great inputs and recommendations and contributed to strengthening collaboration and partnership among the stakeholders at the national and sub-national levels.
