Asia-Pacific disability conference in Cambodia planned for March

A mother pushes wheelchair of her son and daughter who have disabilities in front of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in February 2022. - PPP

PHNOM PENH (The Phnom Penh Post/Asia News Network): The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation will host the 5th Asia-Pacific Community Based Inclusive Development Congress in March. The previous congress was held in Mongolia.

The conference, which aims to promote the rights of persons with disabilities, will be held in Phnom Penh from March 15-17. The theme of the 5th congress is “Strengthening the Socio-Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities during and after the Covid-19 pandemic through Community-Based Inclusive Development”.

Director-general for Technical Affairs Touch Channy said the congress would be an opportunity to work together to help people with disabilities, including fighting discrimination, while promoting their rights.

“Attendance at this conference will demonstrate the commitment of many nations to helping persons with disabilities to solve the challenges they face. It is very important for each country, not just Cambodia, to make strategic decisions to help the disabled,” he said.

“Our main goal is to work together. We want to help the public understand the rights of the disabled and we want to assist persons living with disabilities to find fulfilling professions so they can support themselves,” he added.

Channy said the upcoming congress is expected to bring together representatives from more than 40 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, with officials from state institutions and civil society organisations cooperating to seek solutions, mechanisms and interventions that could assist this vulnerable sector of society.