Speaking at the Handicap Day
celebrations on Koh Pich, the premier conceded that the 2010 sub-decree on
employing people with disabilities had received lacklustre implementation.
“How many members of the Council
of Ministers that approved the sub-decree implement it? We should examine
ourselves, whether we employ disabled people based on the determination of the
sub-decree,” he said.
Under the sub-decree, public
institutions are required to have two per cent of their workforce comprised of
people living with disabilities, and private institutions one per cent.
The premier called on Social
Affairs Minister Ith Sam Heng to report to him at the end of this month which
ministries had, and had not, fulfilled their obligations under the sub-decree.
The 2009 Law on the Protection and
Promotion of Persons with Disabilities stipulates that those who do not fill
the requisite quota of disabled persons in the workforce will be fined, and
those who fill the quota will receive tax and other “legal” incentives.
Hun Sen points to himself as a
person living with a disability, having lost his left eye during the civil war
in 1975. He spoke of ending discrimination and harassment of people with
disabilities.
“I was insulted and called a
[blind-eye guy]. I was hurt in my heart. Therefore, I would like to urge all to
stop aiming inappropriate verbal insults
at disabled persons and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against them,”
Hun Sen said. “It is seriously hurtful.”
Hun Sen also called for all new
or renovated buildings to provide disability-friendly access.
Lim El Djurado, spokesman for the
Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, confirmed the
ministry would follow the prime minister’s instructions.
“I don’t have the proper data
right now; we are going to work with the Ministry of Labour [to obtain it]. But
our ministry was the first to enhance disabled people’s rights. We have a
loading-ramp path, an elevator, and many disabled staff working here,” he said.
Cambodian Disabled People’s
Organisation executive director Ngin Saorath said the talk was comforting, but
following it through was essential.
“Awareness of the public will not
grow stronger just by talking, but by action,” he said.
“In Cambodia, discrimination is
divided into three parts: institutional discrimination, referring to government
and universities; environmental discrimination; and behavioural discrimination.
“The public will give names to
people with disabilities and use disabilities as a joke,” Saorath said, adding
that this demonstrated the low level of understanding of disability issues in
Cambodia.
This could be changed with
education, he said. “Include disability lessons starting from primary school –
it could empower people with disabilities.”
Chay Channyda and Vong Sokheng
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