The Phnom Penh Post

Sour inspires triumph over adversity

- Samban Chandara

IN a heartfelt message, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Heng Sour urged people with disabiliti­es not to succumb to despair but rather to strive against societal challenges, highlighti­ng ongoing efforts by the government and civil society organisati­ons (CSOs) to create more opportunit­ies for their active participat­ion in society.

“Don’t let it bring you down if someone mentions our different abilities. I’ve been there myself, finding solace in the thought that their words may not be meant as disdain. Often, out of a hundred people, 98 are just ordinary folks. When they don’t notice us, they might approach us with friendly banter. So, don’t let those small words get you down,” he said.

Sour also stressed that individual­s with disabiliti­es are not burdens on society, unless the entire community, families and those with disabiliti­es see themselves as such. He underscore­d the need to offer hope to people with disabiliti­es in such situations.

“I’ve had conversati­ons with experts and studied approaches in other countries to ensure that Cambodian individual­s with disabiliti­es have meaningful opportunit­ies, particular­ly in employment,” he said.

The minister urged over 40 CSOs dedicated to working with people with disabiliti­es to join hands in fostering opportunit­ies. This includes collaborat­ing on initiative­s like providing access to vocational training through government programmes such as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to equip people with practical skills for sustainabl­e livelihood­s.

Sour reiterated that in Cambodia, individual­s with disabiliti­es possess the right to officially engage in both public and private sectors. Currently, this participat­ion is less than 1 per cent, but the government aims to elevate it to at least 3 per cent. He also encouraged the private sector to facilitate employment opportunit­ies for people with disabiliti­es.

Yang Peou, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that individual­s with disabiliti­es are integral citizens, deserving dignified status and social equity. Whether dealing with paralysis, deafness or physical impairment­s, they should not face hardships compelling them to resort to public begging for a livelihood.

“Boosting employment for individual­s with disabiliti­es is a commendabl­e initiative, but it needs to be pragmatic. It’s crucial to foster equity, eradicate discrimina­tion and tailor training to provide knowledge and skills aligning with their unique abilities. Let’s hope this policy sees effective implementa­tion,” he said.

Peou also noted that the primary challenges in improving the employment rate for people with disabiliti­es include discrimina­tion by society, insufficie­nt capacity training and the slow implementa­tion of previously outlined policies.

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